Magnetic susceptibility of cambisol profiles in the vicinity of the Vír dam, Czech Republic

Abstract

Magnetic susceptibility of 72 cambisol profiles from the vicinity of the Vír dam, NW Moravia was measured. The enhanced susceptibility of topsoil, particularly of the horizon O, was assessed from the aspect of vegetation setting and magnetic mineralogy. Magnetic susceptibility variations with field and temperature as well as frequency dependent susceptibility were applied to indicate magnetic carriers. It was found that the enhanced magnetic susceptibility is caused very likely by the presence of maghemite and magnetite of various grain sizes. Magnetic minerals are pedogenic in origin in all three horizons, while in the O and A horizons they are mostly anthropogenic in origin. Magnetic susceptibility was correlated with contents of trace elements Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, As, Cd, Sb, Bi, Hg, Se, furthermore with TOT/C, TOT/S, and 137 C. The close association of susceptibility with Pb, Sb and Hg, or also with Mo, As, Se and their similar depth variations suggest a slight anthropogenic input in soils from a long-distant source. The same is valid for 137 C, its strong correlation with magnetic susceptibility has been found.

Magnetic properties of soils in a designated Natura area (GR4310010, Giouchtas Mountain)

“…Magnetic studies for environmental purposes (Petrovský and Ellwood, 1999) have attracted the scientific interest in the recent past, with focus on the detection of contamination in sediments and soils in drainage systems (Beckwith et al, 1984;Scholger, 1998;Desenfant et al, 2004;Chlupáčová et al, 2010), topsoils and vegetation (Le Borgne, 1955;Heller et al, 1998;Jordanova et al, 2003;Kapička et al, 2003;Boyko et al, 2004;Wang et al, 2005;Matýsek et al, 2008), urban soils (El-Hasan andLataifeh, 2013;Kokinou et al, 2013), ground pollution due to the industrial emissions (Dekkers and Pietersen, 1991;Strzyszcz et al, 1996;Flanders, 1999;Kapička et al, 1999;Lecoanet et al, 1999Lecoanet et al, , 2001Sharma and Tripathi, 2008;Sarris et al, 2009;Kokinou, 2010;Jasion et al, 2013), and airborne particulates (Hansen et al, 1981;Hay et al, 1997;Goluchowska, 2001;Hanesch et al, 2003).…”