A multitechnique approach for the identification of multiple contamination sources near a polluted industrial site

Abstract

Degraded land requires rapid and suitable remedial actions, thus appropriate and fast methodological approaches for estimating the spatial distribution of contaminants are needed. In this context, a methodological approach combining isotopic measurements, heavy metals concentrations mapping, X‐ray diffraction, and cluster analysis, was applied to characterize a polluted industrial site where the contamination due to improper waste disposal could have spread also into the surrounding fields. This approach was applied to a set of representative topsoil (from 15 to 30 cm depth) and subsoil (from 130 to 150 cm depth) samples, selected either inside or outside the contaminated site. The X‐ray diffraction analysis highlighted that only the mineralogy of the subsoil below the buried waste was noticeably altered, while the concentration mapping highlighted that the levels of several heavy metals on the edge of the contaminated site, at both depths, were very similar to those found in the samples from the outside. Based on these findings, Pb was used as a tracer for heavy metal pollution by its stable isotopes' analysis. The cluster analysis of the isotopic measurements revealed that only the contamination detected inside the industrial site could be attributed to the pollutants migration from the buried waste. Conversely, the contaminants concentrations found in the topsoil samples taken outside the site could be ascribed to contamination sources other than the polluted waste present inside the site.

From risk assessment to land planning. The case of a trace element‐contaminated area in Chile

“…Planning based on pollution maps should be avoided because it is a very big leap. The geographical pattern of the deposition of the contaminants is pivotal as a first step (e.g., Bonetto et al, 2022). However, some trace elements can produce deleterious effects with slight increments, or the contrary, being harmless even increasing several times (Kabata-Pendias & Mukherjee, 2007).…”

The validation of converting pyrite ash‐contaminated soil into End‐of‐Waste by the High‐Performance Solidification/Stabilization process application

“…These industrial installations were active from 1898 to 1985 and during this period tailings and wastes heavily contaminated by several metals were incorrectly disposed of by burial inside the site (Contessi et al, 2020). In detail, the pyrite roasting process leaves a residue consisting of iron oxides (i.e., amorphous iron oxides and hematite), and other minerals of anthropogenic origin (e.g., gypsum, jarosite, bassanite, anglesite, brushite, phosphoferrite, lithargite and esperite) (Bonetto et al, 2022) polluted by a considerable amount of several metals, in particular As, Pb, Cu, Cd, V, and Zn. Table 1 reports the average and maximum concentrations of the main pollutants found during the characterization of the study area.…”

“…Land resources are of utmost importance for human survival and development, but anthropogenic pollution of soils, sediments, and waters has caused severe global land degradation in the past decades (Bonetto et al, 2022). In particular, several concerns have been raised regarding the most suitable methods to be used for the reclamation of contaminated soils and sediments.…”