The GEMAS (geochemical mapping of agricultural soil) project collected 2108 Ap horizon soil samples from regularly ploughed fields in 33 European countries, covering 5.6 million km2. The <2 mm fraction of these samples was analysed for 53 elements by ICP-MS and ICP-AES, following a HNO3/HCl/H2O (modified aqua regia) digestion. Results are used here to establish the geochemical background variation and threshold values, derived statistically from the data set, in order to identify unusually high element concentrations for these elements in the Ap samples. Potentially toxic elements (PTEs),

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The sorption capacity of selected heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr) to five Estonian soils was evaluated using spiked subsoil samples in laboratory experiments. The experimental sorption data fitted well to the linear Freundlich isotherm. The sorption of metals in subsoil depended on the soil type, e.g., mineral composition. The results indicate that the content of quartz and carbonates is important in affecting the metal sorption capacity of subsoil. On the basis of our data the possibility of penetration in depth and accumulation of mobile metals was evaluated. It was concluded that increase in dissolved Cd and accumulation of other metals in the subsoil of Podzol is expected. The accumulation of Pb could be the main process for soils with a high amount of dolomite.