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Soil contamination is one of the most serious environmental problems. The aim of this study was to assess the level of contamination of soil by hazardous metals in 5 regions of Slovakia. Overall 152 samples (soil + plant) were collected from 76 sampling sites in investigated regions. In all samples contents of Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Cd were determined. In soil samples the total contents of risky elements in extracts by aqua regia as well as contents of bioavailable forms in extracts by NH4NO3 (c=1 mol/L) were determin...

The Oltenia Mining Basin extends, intermittently from west to east, from the Danube to the Luncavat Stream, Valcea County. It is located as a fan shape at the contact area between the Getic Plateau and the Mehedinti Plateau, to the west of the Motru River and the Subcarpathian Depression of Oltenia, to the east of the Motru River, with the mention that most mining objectives are to the south of the contact area or in the immediate vicinity nearby.The surface mining operations in the Oltenia basin have affected lar...

Soil degradation, characterized by decline in quality, decreases ecosystem goods and services, and is a major constraint for further agricultural, including food, production. In addition, soil degradation caused by human activities, especially agriculture, contributes to climate change. The need to ensure a sustainable use of soils is outlined by the European Union (EU) Soil Thematic Strategy, as well as related legislation. This requires the prevention to further soil degradation and the preservation of its funct...

Both the United Kingdom as well as Czech Republic have seen increased impacts due to flooding in recent years. Rural flooding is due to intense and heavy rainfall-runoff events. Runoff brings with it soil erosion and sediment transport, so called ?muddy floods,? which causes serious onsite and offsite damages in the landscape or even in settlement area and infrastructure. Long-term observation and measurement is crucial step for understanding of complexity of processes involved in the generation of muddy floods an...

Biochar, as a product of carbon-rich thermal degradation of biomass, can increase crop yield and retention capacity of soil, improve soil quality and nutrient cycle. The use of biochar has positive effect primarily on soils with low quality, so its use in conventional agricultural temperate soils has often different effects and depends especially on the biochar feedstock and the pyrolysis process. There are not many research papers which are studying changes in biochar properties over time, i.e. whether the biocha...

Environmental pollution by manganese is a significant problem for the Imereti region. The source of pollution is derived from manganese extraction quarry and ore processing plant. The purpose of the study was to investigate the concentration of manganese and other heavy metals in the soil, air and water. Samples were taken from the industrial area, and the chemical elements were identified in them using ICP-MS. The results showed that the concentration of manganese and some other metals exceed to the permissible l...

The paper focuses on the determination of studied risk elements (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in the upper layer of agricultural land located in the inundation zone of the Stiavnica River in the cadastral area of Dudince village. The studied area is characterized by historical contamination of floodplains. The contamination vector is represented by the Stiavnica River that drains the nearby area of Stiavnica Mountains, an important mining area in the past. Analyzes to determine the exchange soil reaction and the content of ...

A great number of agricultural structures such as irrigation and drainage systems and anti-erosion facilities like bulk shafts, terraces, grassed run-off holding collectors, barrages, wind protection belts, etc. were put into operation during the last century in Bulgaria. The Agrarian Reform of the 1990-s posed unfavorable conditions for preservation and use of this valuable inheritance. Currently, small-sized, fragmented and scattered land use causes deterioration of land quality and infrastructure. The regulator...

The aim of the paper is to investigate the correlations between the parameters and mineralogy of agricultural soils contaminated by hazardous elements originated from the metallurgical industry. The mineralogical constituents of soil have a major influence on soil fertility and production capacity, as well as on migration and assimilation in various proportions of the elements both with nutritional role for plants and potential toxic ones. The importance of the study originates from the necessity of knowing the so...

This article presents results of researches of genesis and physical and chemical properties of humic acids of peat stratigraphic rigging of the Ob-Irtysh interfluve, selected in the area of The Mukhrino Field Station of the UNESCO chair of Yugra State University. The coordinates of the selection: 60.89535 N?68.639033 E. Ash content of peat does not exceed 12%. The effect of botanical composition of the original plants of the peat-forming plants of peat type on the construction of the macromolecules of humic acids ...

In a laboratory model experiment, the effect of native pyrochars and modified pyrochars, from which labile organic matter were extracted, on substrate-induced respiration (SIR) was evaluated. Native samples of pyrochars were obtained from the remnants of linden wood at low-temperature (250°C), medium-temperature (450°C) and high-temperature (650°C) pyrolysis. Modified pyrochar samples were obtained by extracting labile fractions with cold water, boiling in hot water and treating with an alkaline solution of Na4P2O...

Degradation of soil cover is one of the most important problems in modern environmental management. In this paper, the results of field studies of changes in the dry steppe soil cover depending on grazing intensity are presented. The study area is located within the dry-steppe zone of the Russian Plain on the western slope of the Yergeninskaya Upland in Remontnesky District of Rostov Region. The soil cover is represented by Kashtanozems and Solonetz. In the vegetation cover, wormwood-grass associations prevail. As...

The level of contamination by heavy metals and arsenic (As) was estimated in post-agrogenic Retisols, Phaeozems, and Chernozems, belonging to different bioclimatic zones of European Russia. Each chronosequense included arable soil, abandoned soils of different age of restoration and native (forest or steppe) cenosis. The content of organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH value, total amount of heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Co), and As were measured in mixed soil samples collected in the former arable horizo...

The humus acids, which are part of organic matter, are an important part of the soil. Their properties affect the various pollutants, including trace metals. The article presents the structural and functional composition of humuc acids in the Euro-Arctic zone soils, which was investigated by the methods of molecular spectroscopy. An assessment of ecoprotective role to trace metals was made, which especially important for sensitive Arctic soils, formed under the influence of permafrost (cryogenic) processes. Differ...

This research consists of the accumulation of scientific data regarding the evolution of certain components of agricultural land productivity, regarding the cosmic-atmospheric (temperatures, rainfall) and the telluric-edaphic conditions (hydro physical features like: humidity, field capacity, useful water capacity, wilting coefficient) needed to substantiate current pedoameliorative technologies for their efficient use through a complex approach of the physical-geographic and climatic-edaphic conditions in the Low...

Nowdays, a degree of contamination by heavy metals can be observed in the environment. Heavy metals have serious effects on all living organisms because they can accumulate in lethal or sublethal concentrations in the various parts of food chain and so they can cause different health problems like cardiovascular, psychosomatic and cancer diseases. This work is focused to the rate of some risk elements contamination in agricultural alluvial soils from specific area of the region Hont ? alluvium of the river Stiavni...

The influence of oil pollution on the set of indicators such as barley productivity, availability of macro- and microelements and also enzyme activity of the soils was profoundly investigated. The researched objects were the arable horizons of both leached chernozem and soddy podzolic soils, containing different amount of oil (2000 mg/kg, 3000 mg/kg). Besides, the ones without contamination were revealed. The higher is the dose of pollution, the higher is the average pH value. According to the studies conducted, o...

Plants are the main recipient of heavy metals found in soil, being at the same time a source of these metals for plants, animals and human organisms. The search for methods limiting the availability of heavy metals remains valid. Many years of research are being carried out at the Warsaw University of Technology, regarding limiting the availability of heavy metals to the trophic chain by introducing into the soil organic matter. The aim of the study was to analyse the content of heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cd) in radish...

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of the soil pH, from ploughed soil layer from the Ialomita region, on the mobility of heavy metals (Cadmium, Copper, Manganese and Zinc), estimated by heavy metals extractable contents in DTPA-TEA-CaCl2. Because heavy metals exist in soil in different solid-phase forms that vary in terms of availability, total content of metals in soil are poor indicators of toxicity. In order to assess a risk of heavy metal pollution in soil should consider both mobile and availabi...

The positive effects of biochar on soil structure were demonstrated in many studies. Substantially less, even information on the interrelationships between Al, Fe forms and soil structure induced by biochar application as well as its re-application is still absent. Therefore the aims of this study were: (1.) to evaluate the changes in soil structure parameters affected by biochar application and its re-application in different rates (0, 10 and 20 t ha-1), (2.) to evaluate the effect of biochar application and re-a...

The most important conditions to place the polytunnels are the presence of heating and water sources as well as the distance to the market, in order to diminish the transport costs. In the polytunnels, it is necessary to control the air and the soil factors. In soil, the main factor is water content that ensures the water to the plants, but over a value can has a negative effect. The negative effects of moisture excess are found in all stages of growth and development of vegetable plants because it determines adve...

The paleosols of the kurgan of Early Iron Age (2500 BP, Savtomat culture, Solonchanka-2 kurgan cemetery) were studied. The kurgan was located in the steppe zone of the Transural Plateau, in the Kvarkensky district of the Orenburg region, in the vicinity of the fortified settlement of Alandskoe and Arkaim. The region is well known as ?Country of Cities? due to large amount of archaeological sites of different age. The paleosoil studies of archaeological sites are carried out for many years in the region, as a resul...

The quality of contamination of environment by heavy metals has become global task. Heavy metals could negatively affect production and the quality of agricultural crops and through food chain could endanger the population. In our work the area Malanta situated in the south-western part of Slovakia was monitored. From 20 sampling sites the soils samples were taken and the analyses of selected heavy metals in extract NH4NO3 c = 1 mol/dm3 and aqua regia were carried out. Analytical ending was flame AAS (AAS Varian A...

The function of the soil is decomposition of organic matter, circulation of nutrients, retain and release of water and regulation of biological processes in the soil. Compacted soil and lack of organic matter disturbs this system in the soil. Project approaches a possibility to support biological soil systems by means of biostimulation as well as the possibility to promote soil biological systems using biostimulation. The effect of soil biostimulants on soil properties was studied in the territory of the Czech Rep...

The study of soils in the vicinity of medieval settlement that has only one stage of anthropogenic impact at 5-8th centuries AD was established. For comparison, fertilized soils within the modern rural household were investigated. In order to study the microbiological properties of the soils in either case, series of soil pits were made at different distances from the settlement: in the area of regular manuring, in the area of episodic fertilization and in undisturbed areas. The determination of the number of ther...

In the paper we studied toxicity of petroleum on germination and seedling stage of plant using phytotoxicity tests. These tests measure the decrease or absence of germination and root elongation only after a few days of exposure to contaminated soils compared to unpolluted soil (control). The plant seeds used were rape (Brassica napus), white mustard (Sinapis alba), peas (Pisum sativum) and rye (Secale cereals). The soil used in the experiments was a reference OECD soil for these types of tests. The soil was pollu...

Cultivation of high-yielding crops (winter wheat, corn, oil seed rape etc.) represents the only opportunity for Czech farmers to achieve profitable economic results. On the other hand, the above crops have significant demands on nutrients intake from soil. The withdrawn nutrients must be returned which is mainly carried out by mineral fertilizes. Nevertheless, it is not sustainable way from the long-term point of view. The most convenient source of nutrients are fertilizers of organic origin (compost, manure etc.)...

Trace elements, including elements with a negative impact on the environment, are a natural part of the lithosphere. However, with increasing industrialization, there is an uneven spatial distribution and an extreme increase in the concentration of these elements in the environment. It affects their content in the soil-plant system content. The aim of the paper is to define the content of risk elements in the soil profile to determine the level and origin of the soil contamination. The soil sampling was conducted ...