Document Type : Research article
Authors
1 PhD student in Economic Geology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Economic Geology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Background and purpose: Soils in northwest Meshginshahr, influenced by alteration and mineralization processes, exhibit elevated concentrations of toxic and heavy elements, resulting in significant pollution. This study evaluates the environmental sources of soil contamination in alteration and mineralization zones within the region.
Materials and Methods: A combination of library-based research and field investigations was utilized. Hydrographic maps of the region were prepared using topographic maps (1:250,000 and 1:50,000) and aerial photographs (1:20,000). Soil sampling targeted agricultural, orchard, rangeland, and barren soils overlying rocks and mineralized zones, with 70 selective surface soil samples collected from the root penetration zone. Each sample (~1 kg) was divided, retaining 500 g as a reference and sending the remaining portion for chemical analysis. Concentrations of 47 critical elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Results: Comparison of soil analysis data with environmental standards revealed significant contamination, particularly with gold, iron, vanadium, sulfur, and arsenic, alongside other elements exceeding permissible limits. The pollution index (PI) indicated that 55.7% of the samples were classified as polluted (PI > 1).
Conclusion: The alignment of elemental concentrations with environmental standards, enrichment factors, and pollution indices suggests extensive pollution in the studied soils. Mitigation strategies, including soil excavation and relocation, physical remediation (e.g., soil washing and flushing), and biological remediation (e.g., slurry bioremediation, in-situ/ex-situ stabilization, and resistance-based bioremediation), are recommended to address the contamination.
Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords
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