Rapid screening of urban soil potential toxic trace elements and organic matter, Košice city, Slovakia

Abstract

Urban soil survey is necessary in terms of asses the life quality of their inhabitants. From this point of view the detection of the ecological risk in urban soils was done. At first fifteen samples were collected from a depth 0-30cm, in Košice city, Eastern Slovakia around the lake located in the residential zone. In collected samples potential toxic trace elements were established and also the presence of soil organic matter (SOM) was studied, because at present the SOM was recognized as an indicator of sustainable development in the frame of the UN Agenda 2030. SOM and soil organic carbon (SOC) have a positive effect on soil chemical, physical and biological properties. The pH of all studied samples was estimated in the range 6.83-7.42. For rapid screening were used following methods: X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. SOM was determined by calculation from the SOC amount. On the basis of XRF analysis it was found that the permitted limits for the elements Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As were largely exceeded.