Potential ecological risk assessment and prediction of heavy-metal pollution of soil surrounding the drilling waste deposition site

Abstract

Owing to their toxicity, heavy metals constitute a serious threat to the environment. In the pages that follow, we will report the results of evaluation of the potential ecological risk and trend of soil heavy metal pollution surrounding the drilling waste deposition site in western Poland. The concentrations of heavy metals: Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The procedure used for potential ecological risk assessment was as proposed by Hakanson (1980). The calculated potential ecological risk factors come in the following order EiR(Cd)>EiR(Pb)>EiR(Cu)>EiR(Cr), which shows that Cd is the most important factor leading to risk. The uniform model was employed to determine the time in which Cd concentration will exceed the permissible concentration level, as regulated by Polish Law. The Pearson correlation coefficient was employed along with the correspondence analysis in order to determine the relationships between heavy metal concentrations.