Characteristics of Heavy Metals (Ba, Cr) Distribution in Soil

This study was performed to provide fundamental data to establish the new soil pollution standards and the soil contamination management plans in a rational manner. The distribution characteristics of new soil contaminants such as barium (Ba) and chromium (Cr) in soils (n=140) were investigated in relation to land-use classification and geological features. Also, the sequential extraction test was conducted to evaluate fate and mobility of new soil contaminants. The soil samples taken from 140 sites were analyzed to survey distribution levels of selected new soil contaminants. The average concentration and range for hazardous metals (Ba, Cr) were Ba 128.946 (26.757~489.587) mg/kg, Cr 30.121 (2.579~132.783) mg/kg. Based on land use classification, the highest Ba concentration was found in factory soils, followed by dry field and park soils, while Cr concentration was highest in rice paddy soils, followed by dry field and factory soils. Within 10 geological units investigated the highest Ba and Cr concentrations were observed in the soils from Okcheon group and metamorphic rocks, respectively. The BCR (European Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction was conducted to identify chemical distributional existence of 2 elements of soils from each geological unit. Ba in soils is mainly assumed to exists as reducible form (such as BaSO4, BaCO3) and Cr in soils mainly is assumed to exist as residual form (such as Cr2O3, CrxFe1-x(OH)3(x < 1)).