The elemental composition of soils and dust aerosol in the south-central part of Tajikistan

Aerosol migration of heavy metals is considered. Analysis of the background contamination of the soil by heavy metals showed that the invasion of a dust haze from the South-West border results in an increased concentration of Sc, Zn, Ni, Cu, Ca, Sr, and Ge in aerosol particles as compared to the soil of the dust haze propagation zone. A strong migration of Co, Zn, Rb, As, and Sr in the atmosphere has been revealed. A small quantity of K, Ti, Ni, V, and Cr has been found in a dust haze aerosol sample with respect to the Clarke (average content of an element in the Earth’s crust), which indicates weak migration of these elements in the composition of the atmospheric air. Even more alarming is the accumulation of such toxic elements as Zn, Sb, and As, the content of which exceeds the Clarke by up to ten times.