Environmental impact of industrial and agricultural activities to the trace element content in soil of Srem (Serbia)

This study reports the contents and sources of Cu, Hg, Cr, Ni, Co, Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and B pollution in soil samples from Srem in the province of Vojvodina (Republic of Serbia). They are collected in the vicinity of local industrial facilities. The main objective of this study is evaluating the impact of the industrial facilities on the eventual contamination of soils used mostly for agricultural manufacturing. This paper describes the implementation of the combination of methods to estimate the ecological status and determine potential ecological risk. This study applies sequential extraction, pollution indices, comparison with the guidelines, and statistical analysis. Other soil parameters, such as organic matter content, pH, and clay content were measured to evaluate their influence on the trace element content. The investigated soil samples exhibited the raised contents of Ni, Hg, and Cu. Elevated contents of toxic elements observed in localities accommodated within an impact zone affected by industrial complexes, indicating a correlation between the contamination of surrounding soil and potential impact on plants. The most mobile elements are Hg, Cd, and B, while Cr is the least mobile and potential least bioavailable. The results indicate Cr and Ni content increase marking the presence of bedrock, notably in the area of underlying ultramafic rocks and the surface zones influenced by diluvial-proluvial and alluvial processes. The second source of Cr and Ni in the soils of Srem is industrial activities such as leather, cement industry, as well as the metal processing factory.