Ecological and geochemical assessment of soil cover on the territory of Ufa city

Abstract

The relevance. The need for constant monitoring of the state of natural environments because of Ufa increasing industrialization. This study is especially relevant due to the presence of enterprises of various industries (petrochemical, energy, metal construction, timber processing, chemical) located on a fairly small territory of the millionaire city. The aim. To determine the degree of technogenic pollution of the soil cover from industrial facilities in the study area. It is necessary to assess the impact of industrial emissions, as well as emissions from stationary and mobile sources for development of measures aimed at reducing the impact of chemical elements on the environment. Methods. Instrumental neutron activation analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, kappametry, mathematical statistics, mapping (spatial distribution of indicator geochemical indicators and content of the main pollutants). Results. The paper introduces the results of the analysis of the content of 29 chemical elements in the soil cover on the territory of Ufa according to the study of 104 samples. For each industrial area of the city, the priority elements-pollutants from the list of the analyzed ones were identified. Areas with high traffic congestion, as well as areas near oil refineries, are characterized by increased concentrations of As and LREE group (La, Ce, Nd). Elevated levels of Br and Sc are observed in areas near energy complexes. Increased concentrations of REE (Nd, Tb, Lu) were detected around the objects of the timber industry complex. A special situation is observed with the concentrations of some metals (Cr, Zn, Co). The entire territory of the city is characterized by increased concentrations of elements of the transition metal group due to the presence of a large metalworking complex and heavy automobile traffic. Using statistical methods of data interpretation, associations of chemical elements were identified and divided by possible genesis: mainly natural (Ca-Sr), mixed (Cs-Rb, Br-Ta-Na), mainly technogenic (Sb-Zn, Ba-As-Cr-Hg, Th-Lu-Hf-Yb, Ce-La-Nd). The constructed maps-schemes of spatial distribution, the total indicator of pollution and magnetic susceptibility determined that the territory of Ordzhonikidze district and the territory of the Dema railway station can be considered as the most susceptible to anthropogenic influence.