The content of heavy metals in arable soils from the vicinity of the Stalowa Wola Power Plant

Abstract

The paper presents the total content of selected heavy metals from soils located at various distances from the Stalowa Wola Power Plant. The sampling points were situated at different distances from the pollution source (500-4500 m) and in different geographical directions (north and east). The average quantities of metals in the studied soils reached: Cu -12.3, Zn-56.1, Cr-52, Cd -0.331, Pb-13.5, Ni-21.8, and Co-4.8 mg X kg1. The total content of the studied heavy metals did not exceed values admissible for arable soils in Poland. Average quantities of the studied heavy metals in soils located to the east of the power plant were higher in comparison to analogous values in soils located to the north (with the exception of the cadmium content which was statistically significantly higher) and to average values in the control point. Correlation coefficients between the content of the analyzed elements in soils and the distance from the power plant were negative and statistically insignificant. Regardless of the direction, at distances exceeding 4000 m, the coefficients of enrichment of soils in Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Co were below 1 (in the case of Cd and Pb at distances exceeding 4500 m), which allows a supposition that the influence of the power plant on the content of heavy metals in soils located in its vicinity was limited to a distance of 4500 m.