Soil and plants contamination with selected heavy metals in the area of a railway junction / Zanieczyszczenie gleby i roślin wybranymi metalami ciężkimi na terenie węzła kolejowego

Abstract

Heavy metal (As, Mn, Ni, Sn, Ti) concentrations were determined in soil and plant samples collected in different areas of the railway junction Iława Główna, Poland. Soil and plant samples were collected in four functional parts of the junction, i.e. the loading ramp, main track within the platform area, rolling stock cleaning bay and the railway siding. Four plant species occurring in relatively higher abundance were selected for heavy metals analysis, although in the loading ramp and platform areas only one species could be collected in the amount which makes chemical analysis possible. The selected species included three perennials (Daucus carota, Pastinaca sativa and Taraxacum offi cinale) and one annual plant (Sonchus oleraceus).The entire area of the railway junction showed elevated concentrations of heavy metals when compared to the control level. It was most pronounced for the platform area and railway siding. The concentration of arsenic, manganese and nickel in plants growing in these parts of the junction exceeded the toxic level. The highest contamination of soil and plants found in the platform area suggested advanced emission process of the analyzed metals from wheel and track abrasion. Literature review showed that the concentration of the investigated metals in soil was generally higher than that found in centers of cities and along traffi c roads proving that the railway is an important linear source of soil contamination.Unauthenticated Download Date | 5/13/18 12:41 AM

Source Apportionment and Risk Assessment of Soil Heavy Metals due to Railroad Activity Using a Positive Matrix Factorization Approach

“…Thus, the operation of railways was considered to be the main anthropogenic source of these elements in the soil. These results are supported by previous studies [40][41][42][43][44]. It can be clearly noticed that factor one had a high loading of these heavy metals.…”

Tin and Antimony As Soil Pollutants Along The Railway Lines

“…(Samarska and Zelenko 2018a). In line with that, Staszewski et al (2015) pointed out that the levels of metals in soil near railways are higher than the corresponding values found along tra c roads and in city centres. Similar results were obtained by research in the city of Varaždin in northwestern Croatia (unpublished data), where the highest concentrations of HMs in topsoils were found in the area of the railway station.…”

“…In the work of Wiłkomirski et al (2011), the highest HM metal levels were found at the siding and in the platform area. Mętrak et al (2015) found no typical pollution pro les for the differently used areas of railway, while Staszewski et al (2015) established the highest soil contamination in the platform area.…”

“…Sb was not determined and the maximum value of Sn was 23 mg/kg and was measured in the platform area. Staszewski et al (2015) conducted a study in northern Poland, at the Iława Główna railway junction. Soil samples were collected between the rails and outside the rails to the end of the railway sleepers.…”

Feathers of Little Egret (<i>Egretta garzetta</i>) Fledglings as a Bio Monitoring Tool for Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmiumand Lead Pollution in Sri Lanka

“…Further, the Colombo-Kandy railway and main road are located parallel to the Nanuoya stream and this water body is contaminated with automobile effluents runoff with rain water. Staszewski, Malawska [40], has reported that As concentration exceeds the toxic levels in soils at both sides of railways. Solutions of As used for seasoning the railway ties as chromate copper arsenate (CCA) which can be easily leaked to the soil [41].…”