ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Scrap Metal Deposits as Potential Sources
of Enhanced Risk in Soil and Vegetation
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Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural
Resources, Czech University of Life Science Prague, Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic
Submission date: 2018-11-06
Final revision date: 2019-01-30
Acceptance date: 2019-02-12
Online publication date: 2019-08-21
Publication date: 2019-12-09
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(1):841-852
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ABSTRACT
High levels of soil pollution occur worldwide as a result of industrial and agricultural production,
automotive and rail transport, and other human activities. In the metal-processing industry, risk elements
(As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, etc.) in the waste produced should be contained, and can be an
environmental risk. Our experiment monitored soil contamination levels around metal scrap deposits and
their potential impact as a risk to dandelion (Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia) biomass. Sampling was carried
out in four open deposits of metallic scrap located in East Bohemia, Czech Republic. The results showed
a variety of risk elements in the soils, with no relationship to the soil’s physicochemical parameters, but
affected by the amount, composition, and ageing of the deposited metallic scrap. The element contents
in soils varied in a wide range and for some elements reached extremely high levels: 1.68±2.81 mg/kg of
Cd, 62.0±71.8 mg/kg of Cr, 262±376 mg/kg of Cu, 193±355 mg/kg of Pb, and 495±475 mg/kg of Zn, but
a very high environmental risk, estimated according to the Risk Assessment Code (RAC), was recorded
only for Cd and Zn. Substantial soil-plant transport with predominant translocation to the above ground
biomass was recorded for Cd (shoot/root ratio reached up to 2.1), whereas Zn remained equally distributed
between roots and above ground biomass. The Zn bioaccumulation factors decreased with increasing
soil Zn content. Although the results cannot be clearly generalized because of the different character of
the scrap in the individual deposits, only cadmium was able to penetrate the surrounding environment
regardless of the location. Scrap metal deposits do not currently represent a global environmental risk,
but monitoring potential soil and plant contamination next to scrap metal deposits is recommended for
identifying potential environmental hazards.