Impact of traffic routes on the content of trace elements in soils in Warsaw agglomeration

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study on the content of selected trace metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd) in soils near the main traffic routes of the Warsaw agglomeration. The aim of the study was to determine the extent of soil contamination with trace metals at different distances from the road (by the side the road and 50 meters away from the road). In the soil 50 m away from the road in Łomianki ‘low contamination’ was found for zinc and ‘elevated content’ for copper according to the IUNG guidelines, but the amounts of the trace elements were not found to exceed the permissible levels as specified in the Regulation of the Minister for the Environment of 1 September 2016.

Keywords

• trace elements
• traffic routes
• Warsaw agglomeration