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CONCENTRATION OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN SOILS HISTORICALLY AFFECTED BY COAL MINING IN SVALBARD

Anna V. Abramova

Abstract

A comprehensive, three-year (2013 ? 2015) geochemical analysis of soils has been conducted within impact areas of the main Russian and Norwegian coal mining centers in Svalbard. This study was focused on identifying both natural and technogenic trace elements and rare earth elements within a variety of landscapes with location of emission sources and natural factors of contaminants' distribution having been taken into account. The concentrations of macro, micro elements, Trace Elements (TM) and Rare Earth Elements (REE) were measured to determine the actual concentrations and their spatial distribution. Obtained data was compared with world soils averages and average values obtained in different places in Svalbard. Results of the study show that averages of elements for historically affected by coal mining soils in Longyearbyen and Barentsburg areas can be determined as the following values: Al ? 0.74В±0.17%;Ba ? 135В±65 mg/kg; Fe ? 1.1В±0.1%; Cd - 0.18В±0.3 mg/kg; K ? 0.1В±0.03% mg/kg; Ca ? 0.2В±0.1%; Co - 9.4В±2.8 mg/kg; Mg ? 0.2В± 0.1%; Mn - 219В±82 mg/kg; Cu - 19.4В±9 mg/kg; As - 8.6В±4 mg/kg; Na - 236В±258 mg/kg; Ni - 17В±5 mg/kg; Pb - 10.8В±2 mg/kg; Sr - 238В±151 mg/kg; Ti - 984В±643 mg/kg; Cr - 11.2В±3 mg/kg; Zn - 57В±14 mg/kg; B - 24В±12 mg/kg; V - 32В±6 mg/kg. The average values of Gallium (Ga), Lithium (Li), Niobium (Nb), Zirconium (Zr) and Rare Earth elements (REE) including (Dysprosium (Dy), Europium (Eu), Ytterbium (Yb), Yttrium (Y), Lanthanum (La), Praseodymium (Pr), Samarium (Sm), Scandium (Sc), Cerium (Ce) in studied soils were newly analyzed and equal (in mg/kg); Ga - 14.7В±3.2; Dy - 3.0В±0.9; Eu - 1.5В±0.4; Yb - 3.8В±0.7; Y - 26.0В±6.9; La - 24В±6; Li - 83В±22; Nb - 18В±5; Pr - 2.3В±0.5; Sm - 6.2В±1.5; Sc - 14.0В±3.5; Ce - 53В±13; Zr - 54В±32.

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