Geogenic Factors Research Articles

Anthropogenic and geogenic mass input of trace elements to moss and natural surface soil in Norway

Data sets for concentrations of up to 22 elements including Pb, Cd, Ag, As, and Hg and several rare earth elements (REEs) in moss and surface soil from all over mainland Norway are analyzed by positive matrix factorization (PMF) and principal component analysis (PCA) with centered log-ratio transformation. Moss and soil samples collected in 2010 and 2005, respectively, show both a distinct long-range atmospheric transport PMF factor including a dominant Pb loading along with smaller loadings of Mo, Cd, Sb, and As, and a geogenic factor dominated by Ce, La, and Y. Other PMF factors for moss and soil are mainly anthropogenic except for two soil factors, a Cr, Co, Ce dominated factor, and an Eu factor. The source area of Eu is mainly inland consistent with its divalent oxidation state. A significant advantage of PMF factors is that their loadings are scaled according to their relative factor contributions. The PMF air pollution factor F3 in moss with average contribution of 7.11μg/g produces an air pollution input of 5.0μg/g which compares well with literature values for the total Pb concentration in moss for 2005 in southern Norway. PCA has the advantage that it can separate factors with very low element concentrations. To support sources of elements identified by PCA it is recommended to include calculation of factor scores to identify significant source areas.

Assessing the hydrogeochemical processes affecting groundwater pollution in arid areas using an integration of geochemical equilibrium and multivariate statistical techniques

Rapid economic expansion poses serious problems for groundwater resources in arid areas, which typically have high rates of groundwater depletion. In this study, integration of hydrochemical investigations involving chemical and statistical analyses are conducted to assess the factors controlling hydrochemistry and potential pollution in an arid region. Fifty-four groundwater samples were collected from the Dhurma aquifer in Saudi Arabia, and twenty-one physicochemical variables were examined for each sample. Spatial patterns of salinity and nitrate were mapped using fitted variograms. The nitrate spatial distribution shows that nitrate pollution is a persistent problem affecting a wide area of the aquifer. The hydrochemical investigations and cluster analysis reveal four significant clusters of groundwater zones. Five main factors were extracted, which explain >77% of the total data variance. These factors indicated that the chemical characteristics of the groundwater were influenced by rock–water interactions and anthropogenic factors. The identified clusters and factors were validated with hydrochemical investigations. The geogenic factors include the dissolution of various minerals (calcite, aragonite, gypsum, anhydrite, halite and fluorite) and ion exchange processes. The anthropogenic factors include the impact of irrigation return flows and the application of potassium, nitrate, and phosphate fertilizers. Over time, these anthropogenic factors will most likely contribute to further declines in groundwater quality.

Land use influences on soil geochemistry in Lefkosia (Nicosia) Cyprus

The city of Lefkosia (Nicosia) on the Mesaoria Plain of Cyprus has been populated since the Bronze Age. A detailed survey of the city and surrounding suburban area has been undertaken to assess the relationship between land use, geology and soil geochemistry. In total, 441 soil samples were collected from 10 to 20cm depth and analysed by ICP-MS following an aqua regia digestion. The main controls on major and most trace element concentrations are geogenic, with parent lithology and adsorption of metals on secondary Fe/Mn minerals dominating. A number of metals are relatively enriched in the soil of industrial and commercial areas, with the patterns for Ag, Sn and Sb indicating the preservation of historical metal contamination around the old city, and elevated Pb and Zn in areas currently zoned for residential or industrial purposes. The geochemistry of school yard soil generally displays a basaltic signature, with high Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn compared with surrounding sites. Children's' playgrounds have low trace element concentrations that are typical of soil developed from the carbonate-rich lithologies on the island. However, a high proportion of the playgrounds contain elevated As concentrations (>10mg/kg) that can be linked to a particular source of transported fill. Factors such as the presence of fill and restricted zones of element contamination reduce the spatial correlation of the soil geochemical data compared with non-urban areas. By comparison with the preceding soil geochemical atlas of Cyprus, the soil of Lefkosia contains higher average Ag, Pb and Zn concentrations, but few individual values for these or other elements exceed existing regulatory limits in various EU member countries. The results will assist in developing regulatory values for chemical elements in Cypriot urban soil that take into account the influence of geogenic factors and also indicate the need for regulation in the use of land fill or transported soil.

Occurrence and Distribution of Arsenic, Antimony and Selenium in Shallow Groundwater Systems of Ibadan Metropolis, Southwestern Nigerian.

Background.Arsenic, antimony and selenium contamination of groundwater is of great concern due to the potential detrimental effects to human health.Objectives.This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of arsenic, antimony and selenium in the shallow groundwater system of Ibadan metropolis, southwestern Nigeria.Methods.A total of 210 groundwater samples were collected from 35 shallow wells (3.15–7.86 m) within the residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural areas of the metropolis during the dry and wet seasons. The average daily dose intake (ADD), hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) of arsenic, antimony and selenium exposure in groundwater were calculated from these four studied areas for children and adults.Results.Average concentrations of arsenic, antimony and selenium in groundwater ranged between 2.17±3.49 to 33.8±37.2 μg/L, 13.5±15.0 to 33.2±36.8 μg/L and 7.33±6.22 to 46.3±22.4 μg/L, respectively. A corresponding analysis relay plot showed the order of occurrence of these trace metals in groundwater to be antimony>selenium>arsenic. The principal component analysis biplot showed that arsenic, antimony and selenium were fairly distributed in all of the study areas, suggesting the influence of geogenic factors. A total of 74.3% of sampling locations had antimony levels slightly above the World Health Organization (WHO) safe limit of 20 μg/L. Statistical t testing (0.05 confidence limit) showed a significant difference in seasonal levels of groundwater antimony concentration, with the dry season recording significantly higher levels with 100% of samples exceeding WHO safe limits. The chemical of highest potential human health concern is antimony, with a non-carcinogenic HQ risk factor >2 for both age groups. The overall non-carcinogenic HI was highest in the commercial area, 4.1989 for adults and 5.2487 for children.Conclusions.Antimony in groundwater within the Ibadan metropolis raises health concerns and a concerted effort is needed to identify its sources to avoid the risk of antimony toxicity.

Assessment of groundwater pollution in relation to heavy metals of the alluvial aquifer of Thriasion Plain (NW Attica)

In this study the hydrogeological and hydrochemical characteristics of Thriasion Plain are presented focusing mainly on the presence of heavy metals in the alluvial aquifer. Two main aquifer systems exist in the study area: a) the karst aquifer hosted in the karstified carbonate formations, which structure the bedrock and the margins of the alluvial basin and b) the phreatic aquifer within the Quaternary deposits of the Thriasion Plain. Coastal and submarine groundwater discharges show the direct connection of the aquifers with the sea causing intense salinization in both aquifers. The phreatic aquifer is characterized by high levels of TDS (483 – 13,067 mg/l) and correspondingly high degree of hardness (15.7 to 165.7 odH). High concentrations of Na+, Cl-, SO4 2-, NO3 -, NH4 + and PO4 3- reflect the diverse anthropogenic influences on the aquifer. The strong presence of heavy metals, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn has been determined in the most of the samples. Their origin is associated with geogenic factors, such as the occurrences of bauxites, oxides derived from the alteration of rocks, especially shischts, organic matter within the Plio-Pleistocene sediments of the region, as well as with intense pressures from anthropogenic activities. In some cases the groundwater is improper not only for human consumption but also for many other uses.

Effect of Geogenic Factors on Water Quality and Its Relation to Human Health around Mount Ida, Turkey

Water–rock interactions strongly influence water quality. Waters originating from highly altered zones affect human health. Mount Ida region in western Anatolia is an example for such geogenic interactions and additional anthropogenic impacts. A water quality monitoring study was held and a total of 189 samples were collected from 63 monitoring stations to characterize the quality of water resources and its relation with human health. The results indicated that waters originating from altered volcanic rocks that are mainly used for drinking purposes have low pH, high conductivity and elevated trace element levels. In addition, a number of acidic mining lakes were formed in the open pits of abandoned mine sites in the study area and pyrite oxidation in altered volcanic rocks resulted in extremely acidic, high mineral content and toxic waters that demonstrate an eminent threat for the environmental health in the area. Overall, the water quality constituents in Mount Ida region had a spatially variable pattern and were locally found to exceed the national and international standards, mainly due to geogenic alteration zones and anthropogenic intervention.

Spatial Variability of Ground Water Quality Using HCA, PCA and MANOVA at Lawspet, Puducherry in India

In ground water quality studies multivariate statistical techniques like Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Factor Analysis (FA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were employed to evaluate the principal factors and mechanisms governing the spatial variations and to assess source apportionment at Lawspet area in Puducherry, India. PCA/FA has made the first known factor which showed the anthropogenic impact on ground water quality and this dominant factor explained 82.79% of the total variance. The other four factors identified geogenic and hardness components. The distribution of first factor scores portray high loading for EC, TDS, Na+ and Cl− (anthropogenic) in south east and south west parts of the study area, whereas other factor scores depict high loading for HCO3−, Mg2+, Ca2+ and TH (hardness and geogenic) in the north west and south west parts of the study area. K+ and SO42− (geogenic) are dominant in south eastern direction. Further MANOVA showed that there are significant differences between ground water quality parameters. The spatial distribution maps of water quality parameters have rendered a powerful and practical visual tool for defining, interpreting, and distinguishing the anthropogenic, hardness and geogenic factors in the study area. Further the study indicated that multivariate statistical methods have successfully assessed the ground water qualitatively and spatially with a more effective step towards ground water quality management.

Chemistry of water from the inflows to the “Franciszek” dipheading in the “Pomorzany” Zn-Pb mine in the Olkusz Area (SW Poland)

Abstract The “Franciszek” dipheading is one of the main components of the transportation infrastructure in the “Pomorzany” zinc and lead mine in the Olkusz ore district. The heading was cut out of the aeration zone, created by mine drainage in Quaternary sands and Middle and Lower Triassic carbonates. This study presents the results of the examination of the chemical composition of water leaks identified in the dipheading. It was found that the chemical composition of the water under examination depends on geogenic factors, mainly the mineralogical composition of the rocks that are infiltrated by the meteoric waters which feed the leaks, as well as the geochemical processes associated with metal sulphate weathering in the carbonate rock environment (with dolomites and limestones). The significant influence of anthropogenic factors was also identified, including the most important one linked to the migration of polluted waters from the surface mine facilities.

Groundwater quality analysis of quaternary aquifers in Jhajjar District, Haryana, India: Focus on groundwater fluoride and health implications

Several types of health problems in Jhajjar district of Haryana state are prevailing owing to groundwater quality problems such as high concentration of fluoride, chloride, salinity, TDS, etc. The objective of this work was to assess the overall groundwater quality of the district based on Water Quality Index (WQI), and find out the factors leading to continuous deterioration in groundwater quality. The study demonstrates that groundwater quality of Jhajjar district is totally unsuitable for drinking purposes and is directly or indirectly influenced by geogenic factors. About 60–70% of the samples analysed show high fluoride content. Other parameters such as hardness, electrical conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and Chloride are also above the permissible limits. Hydrogeologically the study area belongs to Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains, which are dominated by clay-silt, clay and grey micaceous sand formations. Clay rich formations are rich in fluorine and other salts and their weathering is most probably causing the continuous escalation in the fluoride and salinity concentration in groundwater. Several in-situ and ex-situ measures have been suggested for remediation and to prevent further escalation of water quality problems that are needed imperatively for the sustainable development of water resources.

Major geogenic factors controlling geographical clustering of urolithiasis in China

The prevalence of urolithiasis is increasing across the world and exhibits a distinctive characteristic of geographical distribution. Geographical clustering and major geogenic factors for urolithiasis prevalence in China were investigated. High risks of urolithiasis are found in southern China clustered in coastal provinces such as Fujian and Zhejiang and karst regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, and Hubei. The predominant urinary stone composition is a mixture of calcium oxalate and phosphate. We found that the spatial distribution of phosphate-type stones is closely related to that of phosphate ore deposits and carbonate rocks. Hot or warm climate and seasons increase the risk of lithogenesis through high average air temperature. Water and soil environment influence the quality and composition of drinking water and food, thus affecting stone formation in the urinary system. In particular, the increase of Ca2+/Mg2+ ratio (in meq) in drinking water might be the main factor. Besides, the high content of calcium in local plants grown on karst soils and the intake of high oxalate food might contribute to the high prevalence in South China. This study indicates that urolithiasis could be endemic, with geogenic factors playing critical roles in urolithiasis etiology.

Insights into the chemical partitioning of trace metals in roadside and off-road agricultural soils along two major highways in Attica’s region, Greece

We report in this study the magnetic properties and partitioning patterns of selected trace metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Ni) in roadside and off-road (>200m distance from the road edge) agricultural soils collected along two major highways in Greece. Sequential extractions revealed that the examined trace metals for the entire data set were predominantly found in the residual fraction, averaging 37% for Cd up to 80% for Cu. Due to the strong influence of lithogenic factors, trace metal pseudototal contents of the roadside soils did not differ significantly to those of the off-road soils. Magnetic susceptibility and frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility determinations showed a magnetic enhancement of soils; however, it was primarily related to geogenic factors and not to traffic-derived magnetic particles. These results highlight that in areas characterized by strong geogenic backgrounds, neither pseudototal trace metal contents nor magnetic properties determinations effectively capture traffic-related contamination of topsoils. The vehicular emission signal was traced by the increased acid-soluble and reducible trace metal contents of the roadside soils compared to their off-road counterparts. In the case of Cu and Zn, changes in the partitioning patterns were also observed between the roadside and off-road soils. Environmental risks associated with agricultural lands extending at the margins of the studied highways may arise from the elevated Ni contents (both pseudototal and potentially mobile), and future studies should investigate Ni levels in the edible parts of plants grown on these agricultural soils.

Assessment of potentially harmful elements pollution in the Calore River basin (Southern Italy).

The geographical distribution of concentration values for harmful elements was determined in the Campania region, Italy. The study area consists of the drainage basin of the River Calore, a tributary of the river Volturno, the largest Southern Italian river. The results provide reliable analytical data allowing a quantitative assessment of the trace element pollution threat to the ecosystem and human health. Altogether 562 stream sediment samples were collected at a sampling density of 1 site per 5km2. All samples were air-dried, sieved to <100 mesh fraction and analyzed for 37 elements after an aqua regia extraction by a combination of ICP-AES and ICP-MS. In addition to elemental analysis, gamma-ray spectrometry data were collected (a total of 562 measurements) using a hand-held Scintrex GRS-500 spectrometer. Statistical analyses were performed to show the single-element distribution and the distribution of elemental association factor scores resulting from R-mode factor analyses. Maps showing element distributions were made using GeoDAS and ArcGIS software. Our study showed that, despite evidence from concentrations of many elements for enrichment over natural background values, the spatial distribution of major and trace elements in Calore River basin is determined mostly by geogenic factors. The southwestern area of the basin highlighted an enrichment of many elements potentially harmful for human health and other living organisms (Al, Fe, K, Na, As, Cd, La, Pb, Th, Tl, U); however, these anomalies are due to the presence of pyroclastic and alkaline volcanic lithologies. Even where sedimentary lithologies occur, many harmful elements (Co, Cr, Mn, Ni) showed high concentration levels due to natural origins. Conversely, a strong heavy metal contamination (Pb, Zn, Cu, Sb, Ag, Au, Hg), due to an anthropogenic contribution, is highlighted in many areas characterized by the presence of road junctions, urban settlements and industrial areas. The enrichment factor of these elements is 3-4 times higher than the background values. The southwestern area of the basin is characterized by a moderate/high degree of contamination, just where the two busiest roads of the area run and the highest concentration of industries occurs.

Trace elements in lake sediments of the Brda river catchment area / Pierwiastki śladowe w osadach jezior zlewni Brdy

Abstract Total of 54 samples (of sediments taken from the surface of 5-cm layer of profundal zone of lakes in the catchment of the river Brda) were tested in presented research. The collected samples were analysed for the concentrations of Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sn, Sr, V and Zn, and Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, P and S, using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), after sample digestion in aqua regia. The Hg concentration was determined from solid samples using atomic absorption spectroscopy (TMA). The organic carbon content was determined using the coulometric method. Sediments of most of lakes examined in the Brda catchment area are characterised by low concentrations of trace elements. Sediments contained an average of 0.9 mg/kg of Cd, 0.107 mg/kg of Hg, 8 mg/kg of Ni, 46 mg/kg of Pb, 8 mg/kg of As, 78 mg/kg of Ba, 12 mg/kg of Cr, 94 mg/kg of Zn, 3 mg/kg of Co, 12 mg/kg of Cu, 1.3 mg/kg of Mo, 105 mg/kg of Sr and 16 mg/kg of V. The presence of elevated concentrations of chromium, copper, nickel and vanadium is controlled by a geogenic factor - weathering of glacial deposits containing fragments of igneous and metamorphic rocks which are the source of heavy metals. The presence of elevated contents of Pb, Zn, Hg and Cd is caused by anthropogenic factor. Most of the lake sediments show low concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg and Ni, which do not pose a threat to aquatic organisms. The concentrations of lead in almost half of the samples are elevated to a level at which a negative effect of this element can be observed. In the case of zinc, the proportion of such samples is about 25%.

Water Quality, Pollution Source Apportionment and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Groundwater of an Industrial Area in North India

Haridwar once regarded as the holiest city of India has fast assumed the garb of an industrial destination after the establishment of the integrated industrial estate (IIE) Haridwar in the year 2000. IIE Haridwar is flanked by the Rajaji National Park and rural/agricultural areas in addition to urban residential, commercial and other industrial areas. Five heavy metals Cobalt (Co), Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn) were monitored monthly at 18 groundwater locations for a year in and around IIE Haridwar. Co was detected in 94 %, Fe in 99 % and Cr in 98 % samples; and Ni in 90 % and Zn in 99 % of the 216 samples. Co, Cr, Fe and Ni were found to exceed standard guideline limits in 196/216, 199/216, 71/216 and 147/216 samples, respectively. Two-way ANOVA showed main effects of season on concentrations of Fe and Zn. Significant correlations were identified between metal pairs Co–Cr and Fe–Zn. PCA identified two principal components, the anthropogenic pollution factor with loadings on Co and Cr and geogenic factor with loadings on Zn and Fe. HCA supported the findings of PCA and formed three clusters. Health risk assessment showed non-carcinogenic risk at all 17/18 locations due to Cr indicating adverse impact of industrial activity on human health.

Geogenic Factors as Drivers of Microbial Community Diversity in Soils Overlying Polymetallic Deposits.

This study shows that the geogenic factors landform, lithology, and underlying mineral deposits (expressed by elevated metal concentrations in overlying soils) are key drivers of microbial community diversity in naturally metal-rich Australian soils with different land uses, i.e., agriculture versus natural bushland. One hundred sixty-eight soil samples were obtained from two metal-rich provinces in Australia, i.e., the Fifield Au-Pt field (New South Wales) and the Hillside Cu-Au-U rare-earth-element (REE) deposit (South Australia). Soils were analyzed using three-domain multiplex terminal-restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism (M-TRFLP) and PhyloChip microarrays. Geogenic factors were determined using field-mapping techniques and analyses of >50 geochemical parameters. At Fifield, microbial communities differed significantly with geogenic factors and equally with land use (P < 0.05). At Hillside, communities in surface soils (0.03- to 0.2-m depth) differed significantly with landform and land use (P < 0.05). Communities in deeper soils (>0.2 m) differed significantly with lithology and mineral deposit (P < 0.05). Across both sites, elevated metal contents in soils overlying mineral deposits were selective for a range of bacterial taxa, most importantly Acidobacteria, Bacilli, Betaproteobacteria, and Epsilonproteobacteria. In conclusion, long-term geogenic factors can be just as important as land use in determining soil microbial community diversity.

Hydrochemistry of Ground Waters from Urban Wells in Almadén (Central Spain): Water Quality Around the World’s Largest Mercury Mining-Metallurgical Complex

This paper presents the results of a study on mercury distribution in urban wells from the town of Almaden (central Spain), a site that not only hosted the world’s largest mercury mine but also a large roasting plant for cinnabar (HgS). The study includes data on Hg contents in the underground waters and also quality and physical-chemical parameters such as pH, conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen, and water temperature from 27 wells and 2 monitoring drill holes. An important proportion of the wells (16 %) display Hg concentrations above the European Union Commission (EUC) and Spanish threshold (at 1 μg L−1) and only 10 % exceeded the US EPA recommendation (at 2 μg L−1). As expected, the highest concentrations of dissolved and total Hg are found in wells near to the mine. Hydrochemical water types depend on geogenic and anthropogenic factors, for example, higher mercury concentrations are linked to water-rock interactions (e.g., oxidation, leaching) in sectors where soluble mercury compounds have formed. Hg concentrations show a decrease from 2013 to 2015, a fact that may be due to the encapsulation of the main calcines waste dump or to dilution effects related to strong rainfall events previous to the sampling survey.

Quality characteristics and hydrogeochemistry of irrigation waters from three major olive groves in Greece

Surface and groundwater samples were collected from three key olive grove regions in Greece in order to assess their overall quality and outline major hydrogeochemical characteristics. The three study areas were selected for their significance to the national olive production as well as for their diverse physiographic characteristics and imposed cultivation practices. Results suggest that quality status in general is acceptable with few exceptions; however, issues related with salinization were identified which in turn could potentially lead to environmental degradation. Hydrogeochemical characteristics are affected by geogenic (natural) factors and anthropogenic influences to some extent. Results were confirmed by PoS index which classified samples according to their quality status. Overall, the controlling factors appear to be the geological setup, the hydrogeological regime, as well as the irrational cultivation practices and groundwater overexploitation. Environmental sustainability in the three examined regions is considered feasible on the grounds of a critical balance between environmental protection and production optimization. This balance may be achieved through the implementation of tailored actions and management measures, designed for each of the three cultivated areas and every plot participating in the study.

Participation of Quaternary Aquifers in Groundwater Inflow to Mines in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) / Udział Wodonośnych Utworów Czwartorzędowych W Procesie Zawodnienia Kopalń Górnośląskich

Abstract The Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) is situated within Variscean depression in the southern Poland. Mining of the hard coal, ore and sand deposits in the USCB has a long-lasting tradition. Exploitation has been carried out with both - open pit and mainly underground operations. The intensity of water inflows to mines depends on geogenic and technological factors. Among geogenic factors the main one is occurrence of thick water - bearing Quaternary sediments in the roof of Carboniferous ore deposits. Among technological factors the essential influence on the inflows to the mine workings have: time, depth and surface of exploitation, as well as drainage intensity.

Groundwater Quality Analysis in Precambrian Rocks of Chitradurga District, Karnataka, India Using Geo-informatics Technique

Water is the main source for domestic, engineering, industrial, agricultural and multipurpose uses which affects surface as well as groundwater quantity. The study area falls within the semiarid region and frequently facing water scarcity and quality problems. The present study generates the primary data to map the spatial variation of groundwater quality in Precambrian hard rock terrain of Chitradurga District through Geo-informatics technique. Efforts have been made to evaluate a total number of 50 representative groundwater samples (C1 to C50) collected in well points from different parts of the study area during pre-monsoon period (April-2012) to assess its parameters such as Fluoride (F-), Nitrate (NO3−), Carbonate (CO3-), Chloride (Cl-), Calcium (Ca2+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sodium (Na+), Sulphate (SO42−), Iron (Fe), Potassium (K+), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Potential of Hydrogen (pH) and Total Hardness (TH). Groundwater quality is found to be more controlled by rock-water interaction & residence time of water in aquifers and affected by both anthropogenic and geogenic factors at many locations. Each lithological units, water bodies, agricultural lands and major lineaments are mapped and digitized using IRS-1D, PAN+LISS-III satellite data through GIS software's to evaluate the possible contamination of groundwater quality by rock-water interactions, agro-chemicals and storage & movement of water. This study highlights the potentiality of Geo-informatics technique in preparation of more consistent and accurate baseline information predicting the groundwater quality in Precambrian hard rock terrain of the study area; which is a suitable model in similar geological conditions.

GEMAS: Spatial distribution of chemical elements in agricultural and grazing land soil of Italy

This work was carried out as the Italian contribution to the EuroGeoSurveys GEMAS project, the objective of which was the geochemical characterisation of agricultural and grazing land soil in Europe. Soil samples were collected at an average sampling density of 1 site per 2500km2. Two different sample types were collected in Italy: (1) 121 samples of agricultural soil (Ap) on regularly ploughed land to a depth of 20cm, and (2) 121 samples of grazing land soil (Gr) (land under permanent grass cover) to a depth of 10cm. All soil samples were air dried, sieved to <2mm, homogenised and finally split into 10 sub-samples. Both sample types (Ap and Gr) were analysed after an aqua regia (AR) extraction by a combination of ICP-AES and ICP-MS for 53 elements. In addition, other parameters were determined: pH, TOC, total carbon and total sulphur, LOI, CEC, Sr-isotopes, Pb-isotopes, and MIR-spectra. In this paper, the results of only aqua regia extraction on agricultural soil samples (Ap) and Pb-isotope determinations are presented and discussed.By means of a GIS software, georeferenced data of the Italian territory were used to produce the geochemical maps of all analysed parameters. This work shows that the spatial distribution of chemical elements is governed mostly by geogenic factors, although the concentration levels of many of the investigated elements are well above the corresponding statutory Italian intervention limits. The anomalies of Be and Sn in some areas are absolutely geogenic, as well as the anomalous values of Cr, Co and Ni that characterise the north-western regions. In other areas, the work has instead highlighted high element concentrations related to anthropic activities. This is the case of high Pb concentration near the urbanised and industrialised cities of Roma and Napoli. Lead isotope investigation has corroborated the hypothesis that road traffic is the main source of this contamination.Finally, the continental-scale geochemical maps of Italy show that the element distribution patterns identify clearly the presence of the major geolithological structures and lineaments, even using such a very low sampling density grid.