Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The risk element contamination level in soil and vegetation at the former deposit of galvanic sludges

  • Soils, Sec 3 • Remediation and Management of Contaminated or Degraded Lands • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Hazardous waste deposits with high contents of risk elements can represent a potential environmental hazard via penetration of these elements into soil and vegetation. In this case, the former deposit of galvanic sludges in Dolní Lipka, Czech Republic, was investigated. The deposit was temporarily remediated by a thick soil layer cover. The total and mobile risk element contents were determined within the profile of the soil cover as well as the element contents in the vegetation growing on the cover to assess the potential environmental threat of the deposit

Materials and methods

The plant samples were collected from nine sampling areas, each of 3 × 3 m. The stratification of risk elements within the soil profile was determined where the soil samples were collected in depths of 0–10, 10–40, 40–70, 70–100, and 100–140 cm. The total element contents were determined in aboveground biomass and roots of selected plant species and pseudo total content (extractable with aqua regia) in soils. The mobilizable pool of elements in soils was determined after extraction with a 2 mol L−1 solution of HNO3 and a plant-available pool of elements after extraction with 0.11 mol L−1 solution of CH3COOH.

Results and discussion

From the perspective of the vegetation and soil’s risk elements content, the dump did not meet criteria for a safe hazardous waste landfill in any way during the sampling time. According to the results, the elements can be divided into three groups: (i) low levels of elements within whole profile—As and Cr; (ii) high levels of elements concentrated in the deepest layer of the soil without significant penetration of the upper layers—Cu, Mo, Pb, Ni, and Zn; and (iii) the elements penetrating the upper layers of the soil—Cd and Hg.

Conclusions

The third case poses a serious environmental risk requiring more intensive investigation on the bioavailability of these elements at the site, and subsequently, permanent remediation of the deposit.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali SM, Pervaiz A, Afzal B, Hamid N, Yasmin A (2014) Open dumping of municipal solid waste and its hazardous impacts on soil and vegetation diversity at waste dumping sites of Islamabad city. Journal of King Saud University - Science 26:59–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous (1994a) Council Directive 94/31/EC of 27 June 1994 amending Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste

  • Anonymous (1994b) Public notice No. 13/1994, regulating some details concerning the preservation of agricultural lands available. Czech Ministry of the Environment, Prague

  • Anonymous (1999) Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste

  • Anonymous (2001) Law No. 185/2001 Sb: Waste management law. Legal code of The Czech Republic

  • Anonymous (2002) Directive No. 2002/32/ES of European Parliament and Council of Europe concerning xenobiotics in feedstuffs

  • Bahaa-eldin EAR, Yusoff I, Abdul Rahim S, Zuhairi WYW, Ghani MRA (2011) Tracing subsurface migration of contaminants from an abandoned municipal landfill. Environ Earth Sci 63:1043–1055

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baroni F, Boscagli A, DiLella LA, Protano G, Riccobono F (2004) Arsenic in soil and vegetation of contaminated areas in southern Tuscany (Italy). J Geochem Explor 81:1–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borůvka L, Huanwei C, Kozák J, Krištoufková S (1996) Heavy contamination of soil with cadmium, lead and zinc in the alluvium of the Litavka river. Rostl Výr 42:543–550

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouazza A (1997) Performance of geosynthetic clay liners. Environ Geotech 307–313

  • Dolk H, Vrijheid M, Armstrong B, Abramsky L, Bianchi F, Garne E, Nelen V, Robert E, Scott J, Stone D, Tenconi R (1998) Risk of congenital anomalies near hazardous-waste landfill sites in Europe: the EUROHAZCON study. Lancet 352:423–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans JC (2002) Slurry walls for the rehabilitation of land disposal sites. In: Almorza D, Brebbia CA, Sales D, Popov V (eds) Waste Management and the Environment, pp. 421–430, Wessex Inst Technol; Univ Cadiz, Cadiz

  • Felix F, Fraaij ALA, Hendriks CF (2003) Evaluation of a decision support system for the useful application of hazardous wastes with means of immobilisation-techniques. Mater Struct 36:599–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson JE (1990) The heavy elements: chemistry, environmental impact, and health effects. Pergamon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Franco-Hernández MO, Vásquez-Murrieta MS, Patiño-Siciliano A, Dendooven L (2010) Heavy metals concentration in plants growing on mine tailings in Central Mexico. Biores Technol 101:3864–3869

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu Y, Liu X, Bai J, Shih K, Zeng EY, Cheng H (2013) Assessing heavy metal pollution in the surface soils of a region that had undergone three decades of intense industrialization and urbanization. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:6150–6159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jain P, Kim H, Townsend TG (2005) Heavy metal content in soil reclaimed from a municipal solid waste landfill. Waste Manag 25:25–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A, Pendias H (2001) Trace elements in soils and plants, 3rd edn. CRC press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasassi A, Rakimbei P, Karagiannidis A, Zabaniotou A, Tsiouvaras K, Nastis A, Tzafeiropoulou K (2008) Soil contamination by heavy metals: measurements from a closed unlined landfill. Biores Technol 99:8578–8584

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim KR, Owens G (2010) Potential for enhanced phytoremediation of landfills using biosolids—a review. J Environ Manag 91:791–797

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kogbara RB (2014) A review of the mechanical and leaching performance of stabilized/ solidified contaminated soils. Environ Rev 22:66–86

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Li J, Chen S, Diao W (2012) Establishing indices for groundwater contamination risk assessment in the vicinity of hazardous waste landfills in China. Environ Pollut 165:77–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linde M, Öborn I, Gustafsson JP (2007) Effects of changed soil conditions on the mobility of trace metals in moderately contaminated urban soils. Water Air Soil Pollut 183:69–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madrid F, Lopez R, Cabrera F (2007) Metal accumulation in soil after application of municipal solid waste compost under intensive farming conditions. Agric Ecosyst Environ 119:249–256

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matache M, Rozylowicz L, Ropota M, Patroescu C (2003) Heavy metals contamination of soils surrounding waste deposits in Romania. J Phys IV 107:851–854

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matejczyk M, Płaza GA, Nałeçz-Jawecki G, Ulfig K, Markowska-Szczupak A (2011) Estimation of the environmental risk posed by landfills using chemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological testing of leachates. Chemosphere 82:1017–1023

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra B, O’Loughlin EJ, Boyanov MI, Kemner KM (2011) Binding of Hg-II to high-affinity sites on bacteria inhibits reduction to Hg-0 by mixed Fe-II/III phases. Environ Sci Technol 45:9597–9603

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morselli L, Passarini F, Bartoli M (2002) The environmental fate of heavy metals arising from a MSW incineration plant. Waste Manag 22:875–881

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moturi MCZ, Rawa M, Subramanian V (2004) Distribution and fractionation of heavy metals in solid waste from selected sites in the industrial belt of Delhi, India. Environ Monit Assess 95:183–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mwiganga M, Kansiime F (2005) The impact of Mpererwe landfill in Kampala–Uganda, on the surrounding environment. Phys Chem Earth 30:744–750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagendran R, Selvam A, Joseph K, Chiemchaisri C (2006) Phytoremediation and rehabilitation of municipal solid waste landfills and dumpsites: a brief review. Waste Manag 26:1357–1369

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nauska J, Vaittinen M (2000) Use of fibre clay in landfill cover structures. In: Tammirinne M (ed) International Conference on Practical Applications in Environmental Geotechnology Ecogeo 2000. Helsinki, Finland, pp 137–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Oketola AA, Akpotu SO (2015) Assessment of solid waste and dumpsite leachate and topsoil. Chem Ecol 31:134–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paolini Méndez A, Ramos Ridao A, Zamorano Toro M (2008) Environmental diagnosis and planning actions for municipal waste landfills in Estado Lara (Venezuela). Renew Sust Ener Rev 12:752–771

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paria S, Yuet PK (2006) Solidification-stabilization of organic and inorganic contaminants using portland cement: a literature review. Environ Rev 14:217–255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pastor J, Hernández AJ (2012) Heavy metals, salts and organic residues in old solid urban waste landfills and surface waters in their discharge areas: determinants for restoring their impact. J Environ Manag 95:S42–S49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prechthai T, Parkpian P, Visvanatha C (2008) Assessment of heavy metal contamination and its mobilization from municipal solid waste open dumping site. J Hazard Mater 156:86–94

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quevauviller P, Ure A, Muntau H, Griepink B (1993) Improvement of analytical measurements within the BCR-program—single and sequential extraction procedures applied to soil and sediment analysis. Int J Environ Anal Chem 51:129–134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scott J, Beydoun D, Amal R, Low G, Cattle J (2005) Landfill management, leachate generation, and leach testing of solid wastes in Australia and overseas. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 35:239–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Šmejkalová M, Mikanová O, Borůvka L (2003) Effect of heavy metals concentration on biological activity of soil micro-organisms. Plant Soil Environ 49:321–326

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith GM, Waugh WJ, Kastens MK (1997) Analog of the long-term performance of vegetated rocky slopes for landfill covers. Proc. 4th International Conference on Tailings and Mine Waste 97. FT Collins, CO, January 13–17:291–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Száková J, Kolihová D, Miholová D, Mader P (2004) Single-purpose atomic absorption spectrometer AMA-254 for mercury determination and its performance in analysis of agricultural and environmental materials. Chem Pap 58:311–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Száková J, Tlustoš P, Gössler W, Frková Z, Najmanová J (2009) Mobility of arsenic and its compounds in soil and soil solution: the effect of soil pretreatment and extraction methods. J Hazard Mater 172:1244–1251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Száková J, Tlustoš P, Balík J, Pavlíková D, Balíková M (2000) Efficiency of extractants to release As, Cd, and Zn from main soil compartments. Analusis 28:808–812

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teachavorasinskun S, Maneepairoj J (2006) Interface resistances among soil and geosynthetic materials for final cover of a hazardous landfill in Thailand. Geosynthetics 1–4:277–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Tlustoš P, van Dijk D, Száková J, Pavlíková D (1994) Cd and Zn release through the selected extractants. Rostl Výr 40:1107–1121

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinmann A (1998) Immobilization and solidification of polluted sludges, contaminated soils and other hazardous debris materials with high sorptive clay minerals. Environ Geotech 1–4:543–547

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaïri M, Ferchichi M, Ismaïl A, Jenayeh M, Hammami H (2004) Rehabilitation of El Yahoudia dumping site, Tunisia. Waste Manag 24:1023–1034

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Financial support for these investigations was provided by the Czech Science Foundation GAČR, project no. P503/12/0682. The authors thank Dr. Lada Kacálková for her help with the localization of the deposit and soil and plant sampling. Correction and improvement of language was provided by Proof-Reading-Service.com Ltd., Devonshire Business Centre, Works Road, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1GJ, UK

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, 165 21, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jiřina Száková, Markéta Krýchová & Pavel Tlustoš

Authors
  1. Jiřina Száková
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Markéta Krýchová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pavel Tlustoš
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiřina Száková.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Jean-Paul Schwitzguébel

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Száková, J., Krýchová, M. & Tlustoš, P. The risk element contamination level in soil and vegetation at the former deposit of galvanic sludges. J Soils Sediments 16, 924–938 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1301-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1301-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation