Heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cd) concentration in soils of Tyumen

Toxic heavy metals contaminating soil get accumulated by plants, cause degradation of plant communities, and eventually penetrate human bodies with food. Therefore, it is urgent to investigate the content of heavy metal in soils in urban areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Cd in soils of Tyumen. Top soil was sampled at the semi-clean control site near a highway, and at sites near metallurgical, motor-building, oil-refining and battery-manufacturing facilities in Tyumen, Russia. The concentration of active and acid-soluble forms of heavy metals was determined by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. All the soil samples from urban areas were polluted with Fe. The samples collected near the battery manufactory and the metallurgical plant were contaminated with Pb and Zn, respectively, with maximum allowable concentration exceeded. The Cu, Mn and Zn content in most soil samples was higher than that in the control sample. The Cd content in all samples was at the lower limit of detection. The average percentages of active forms of Mn and Zn in soils were the highest among all the studied metals. The most intense accumulation of all heavy metals was observed near the battery manufactory and the metallurgical plant. The obtained results can be useful for environmental monitoring in Tyumen.