The content of trace elements in the urban soil of Šabac and ecological risk assessment

Abstract

This study deals with the assessment of trace elements pollution of urban soil in Šabac. A total of 32 samples of the surface layer of soil (up to 10 cm deep) were collected from the locations of three city parks in the urban zone. Pseudototal concentrations of seven elements: copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), cadmijum (Cd) and chrome (Cr) were determined in the samples after aqua regia digestion, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The abundance of elements in the analyzed soil samples was: Mn >> Pb> Cr> Ni> Cu> Co> Cd. The conducted correlation analysis showed good correlation of the pairs of Cu - Pb, Cu - Cd and Pb - Cd elements, while the cluster analysis singled out two main groups of elements. The first group included Pb, Cd, and Cu, indicating that these elements originated from anthropogenic sources, while the remaining elements were probably of geogenic origin. Based on the obtained results, the assessment of the level of soil contamination with trace elements was performed, as well as the assessment of the ecological risk. Mean values of contamination factors indicate that the soil from all three examined sites is contaminated with Pb and Cd. The Cd has the higher individual potential ecological risk then the other elements.

Chemical Fractionation, Environmental, and Human Health Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil of Industrialised Urban Areas in Serbia

“…On the other hand, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn content in soils in Novi Sad [74], Lisbon [79], and Thessaloniki [73] was similar, but Ni was somewhat lower than the levels measured in this research (Table 2). Similarities in terms of PTE content were also found in soils from Šabac [75] and Kragujevac [76], where concentrations of most of the examined elements were similar to those determined in this research, with the exception of the higher content of Cr in Kragujevac and Mn in Šabac. Soils in Warsaw [82] and Prague [81] are characterised by a lower content of Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Pb than in the examined soils in cities in Serbia, while soils in Turin [83] and Zagreb [77] have a higher content.…”