Ecological and hygienic assessment of soils on the content of heavy metals and arsenic in an industrial city with glass production

Abstract

Introduction. The paper presents the results of a study on assessing the level of soil contamination with heavy metals and arsenic in a city with a long-term glass production. Materials and methods. The object of the study is the soil cover of the city of Gus-Khrustalny, widely known for the products that are produced at its enterprises. The city-forming industry, the mention of which begins in the second half of the 18th century, is the production of glass and crystal. Results. The presence of polyelement pollution of the soil cover of the city was established, which is probably associated with the specifics and duration of the functioning of the glass industry. The priority pollutants of urban soil are primarily those belonging to the first hazard class, Zn, Pb, and As. The maximum levels of pollution were recorded in the industrial urbanozems, the minimum – in the landscape and recreational zone. An extremely dangerous chemical contamination of the soil in terms of the total indicator was revealed on the territory of the currently non-functioning part of the glass plant, which in fact is a local technogenic lithogeochemical anomaly. An assessment of the level of chemical contamination of soils as an indicator of an adverse impact on the health of the population showed most of them to live in the zone of moderately hazardous or hazardous soil categories. Limitations. The limitations of the study are associated with one-time sampling and a small number of reference areas, which limits the possibility of a broader interpretation of the data obtained. Conclusion. To justify measures to reduce the risk to the environment and health of the population living here, it is necessary to manage constant environmental and hygienic monitoring of the territory. To reduce soil pollution in the city, there are required the modernization of industrial enterprises and the creation of expanded sanitary protection zones around them. It is necessary to carry out measures to detoxify contaminated soilsusing modern methods, primarily biological treatment as phytoremediation, phytorecultivation.