Spatial distribution of copper and pH in soils affected by intensive industrial activities in Puchuncaví and Quintero, central Chile

Abstract

The soils of Puchuncaví and Quintero, in the coastal area of central Chile, have been exposed to atmospheric deposition of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and metal-rich particles from the Ventanas Industrial Complex. The objective of this study was to determine, using geostatistical tools, the spatial distribution of copper and pH in these soils. Using Universal Kriging tool for geostatistical interpolation, we generated maps of continuous distribution of Cu and pH in the soils. The distribution of these variables was related to the distance from the industrial complex and to the direction of the winds. The concentrations of Cu and acidity were higher in the surroundings to the industrial complex and in the direction of the dominant winds. Although the distributions of both variables were similar, there was no correlation between the distribution of Cu and pH, which could be due to the distinct aerial dispersion dynamics of the compounds, which causes a divergence in their deposition on the soil. Specifically, this could be due to the fact that SO2 is smaller than the particulate matter that contains copper, so that it is capable of being dispersed over greater distances without being deposited on the soil.