Environmental Aspect of the Cement Manufacturing in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Southeastern Poland)

Abstract

The research area located in south-eastern Poland is exposed to alkaline pressure from a cement plant in Nowiny, which has been operating there since 1960. Both biotic and abiotic components of the natural environment remain in the zone of the plant’s negative impact. Their reaction, described according to the concept of geo- and bioindicators, provides valuable information on the state of the natural environment in this area. In 2016–2018, the properties of precipitation were being investigated by determining its pH, EC (specific electrolytic conductivity), and chemical composition in terms of the presence of selected heavy metals. Additionally, the chemical composition of samples of two-year-old pine needles, bark, and wood, as well as soil taken from the immediate vicinity of the cement plant, was analyzed. The analysis performed using the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer-Time-of-Flight (ICP-MS-TOF) showed the presence of heavy metals. The highest contents were recorded in soils (Pb 123 mg·kg−1; Cr 138 mg·kg−1; Cu 18 mg·kg−1; Zn 699 mg·kg−1), while the lowest ones were found in the wooden cores of drilled trees (Pb 0.1 mg·kg−1; Cr 1 mg·kg−1; Cu 0.1 mg·kg−1; Zn 4.1 mg·kg−1). On the basis of the research conducted on precipitation, it was found that the pH and EC values were increased, and the presence of heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Ni, and Cu) indicating a local source of pollution was indicated.