MULTIELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF SOILS IN COASTAL ZONES OF THE LAKE BAIKAL BY X-RAY FLUORESCENCE AND ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY: APPLICATION TO ECOLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL STUDIES

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgem.org, SGEM2017 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7408-09-6 / ISSN 1314-2704, 29 June - 5 July, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 52, 651-658 pp, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017/52/S20.083

ABSTRACT

Heavy metal contamination of soils is a long-standing environmental problem in the world due to the increase of anthropogenic impact on landscapes. The proposed paper is the first step of an integrated ecological and geochemical investigation of soil cover of the Baikal region. Study object is the biggest island of the Lake Baikal named Olkhon, which is a part of the Baikal National Park, Russia. The study was performed by the key-site method. The method is based on the revealing an index plot, which characterizes all studied area. Indicator elements such as Hg, As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn were determined by atomic absorption and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. To define origin of the heavy metals in these soils and to assess the environmental risks, enrichment factor, contamination factor, pollution load index, risk assessment code were computed. The enrichment factor showed that the Cd, Ni, Zn sources were more likely to be anthropogenic, whereas the As, Hg, Cu, Cr, Co, Pb sources were similar to be the crustal. The contamination factor indicated the highest values of Cd and Zn and it is linked to their mobility nature. The pollution load index for whole index plot showed the variation of the soil pollution level from none to moderate. The risk assessment code showed a medium risk for Cd and Zn, whereas for other elements it indicated a low risk less than 10 %. The results indicate that the studied index plot as well as the drainage basin are not hazardous and can be considered as a background territory for the ecological and geochemical studies of the soils in the coastal zones of the Baikal region.

Keywords: soil, heavy metals, contamination, environmental risk, Lake Baikal