Heavy metal solubility in podzolic soils exposed to the alkalizing effect of air pollutants

Both acidic and alkaline pollutants must be reduced to prevent availability of heavy metals. The heavy metal content of pine forest soil was studied near the boundary between Russia and Estonia, an area characterized by large amounts of acidic and basic air pollutants, mainly sulfur dioxide and calc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental pollution (1987) 2001-01, Vol.115 (1), p.33-41
Main Authors: Haapala, H, Goltsova, N, Lodenius, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollutant
Air Pollutants
Calcium
Heavy metal
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Metals, Heavy - chemistry
Picea
Pine forest
Soil
Soil pH
Soil Pollutants - analysis
Solubility
Sulfur Dioxide
Trees
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Summary:Both acidic and alkaline pollutants must be reduced to prevent availability of heavy metals. The heavy metal content of pine forest soil was studied near the boundary between Russia and Estonia, an area characterized by large amounts of acidic and basic air pollutants, mainly sulfur dioxide and calcium. Alkalization dominates the processes in soil, since sulfur is adsorbed only in small quantities, and calcium is much better adsorbed. In addition to Ca, great amounts of Al, Fe, K, and Mg are accumulated in the humus layer due to air pollution. The heavy metal content has increased. The exchangeable content of heavy metals was in many cases much higher in polluted alkaline soils than in non-polluted acidic soils, even the ratio of exchangeable to total metal content being higher in alkaline plots. To avoid a dangerous increase in soluble heavy metal content, it is important to decrease not only the large sulfur emissions of local pollutant sources, but also the alkaline pollutants. A similar concern must be taken into account when liming of acidic forest soils is planned.
ISSN:0269-7491
1873-6424
DOI:10.1016/S0269-7491(01)00094-X