Ecological Dangers of Chemical Contamination of Urban Areas Soils: Casestudy of Tomsk

Abstract

The elemental composition of soils in Western Siberia industrial center – Tomsk city is studied. The content of 28 elements in soils of the four administrative districts is determined by the instrumental neutron activation analysis method. The value of calculated total pollution index indicates a high degree of soil contamination, and dangerous levels of human health risk. The main contributors to the total pollution index value are elements: Tb, Br, Sb and Ta. The districts were ranked by the accumulation level of some elements, and it is shown that increased concentration values are confined to industrial enterprises and fuel cycle. The specificity of city districts soil cover is the increased values of relative to the city average values of several elements contents: Kirovsky district- Na and Ba, Oktyabrsky - Hf, Sc, Tb, Sm, La, Ce, Yb, Lu, and Br, Leninsky - Ca, Rb, Sr. The main sources of chromium and barium in the Tomsk city environment are analyzed.