Heavy metal concentrations in and around households near a secondary lead smelter

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 1999-10, Vol.58 (3), p.317-335
• Main Authors: Rieuwerts, J.S, Farago, M, Cikrt, M, Bencko, V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; arsenic; Atmospheric pollution; Buildings. Public works; Cadmium; contamination; copper; cultural soil types; Environmental monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; garden soils; Gardens & gardening; Heavy metals; house dust; Households; Indoor pollution and occupational exposure; Lead; lead smelters; mercury; Metal concentrations; Metals; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; polluted soils; Pollution; Pollution indoor buildings; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Residential areas; Smelters; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil contaminants; Soils; spatial variation; Studies; Topsoil; Zinc
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1023/a:1006058331453

Housedusts and garden soils were sampled in 14 houses in the vicinity of a secondary Pb smelter and analysed for concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, As, and Hg. Sixty-one topsoil samples were also taken from a 2 km^sup 2^ grid covering the smelter grounds and surrounding residential areas and analysed for concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu. Contour maps generated from the grid data indicate significant contamination in the area (maximum Pb concentration 58 500 μg g^sup -1^), particularly down-wind of the smelter grounds. A geometric mean Pb concentration of 2225 μg g^sup -1^ was recorded in garden soil and similarly elevated levels were recorded for Zn, Cd, As and Sb. In housedusts, a geometric mean Pb concentration of 1668 μg g^sup -1^ was observed. Whilst housedust metal concentrations were generally elevated, compared to other urban or residential areas, there appears to be a large degree of attenuation of the metals between the exterior and interior environments of the homes studied. A significant correlation was not recorded between metal concentrations of garden soils and housedusts. There were significant correlations for: distance from the smelter against garden soil metal concentrations; garden soil metal concentrations against each other; housedust metal concentrations against each other; and house age against garden soil metal concentrations.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]