Seasonal comparative geochemistry of ultra trace elements content in agricultural soils near Lake Sevan

Abstract

The contamination status of the soils from Hrazdan, Gavar, and Martuni regions has been investigated by comparing UTEs indicators with % humus and pH in soil samples during different seasonal intervals steppe chernozem soil type was studied. It was found that the maximum of % humus exceeded the minimum % almost twice in the soil samples. The soil samples were found to be neutral in terms of pH character. The results for the Hrazdan region show on 10% increase of barium content and 70% decrease of arsenic content in soil samples taken in winter 2022 compared to the whole period studied. For spring 2022, the same variant shows on 27% increase of chromium and 19% of vanadium. The change in nickel content was within the average for the whole period. The results for the Gavar region show an average dynamic increase of 22% of barium content in soil samples from autumn 2021 to spring 2022 compared to the whole sampling period. The change of the content other UTEs was within the average value for the whole sampling period. Alternating decreases (winter and summer 2022) and increases (autumn 2021 and spring 2022) of the barium content were observed in the soil samples from the Martuni region. The change of UTEs content in the soil was within the average value for the whole period sampled. The increased value of the Zc coefficient in autumn was found to be typical for all investigated regions, although the values vary. The highest value of the coefficient is observed in the Hrazdan region and the lowest value in the Martuni region.