Determination of “normal” levels and upper limit values of trace elements in soils

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Abstract
To determine “normal” levels of trace elements in soils, soil samples taken all over Belgium were analysed. The selection of the sampling places was based on the geological substrata, from which the soils originate and on the texture class to which they belong. The elements As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Ti, V and Zn were determined using an extraction method with strong acids. The found concentrations were called “total acid extraction concentrations”, although this extraction does not extract all the elements which are incorporated into the minerals.This has been done, however, by arc emission spectrography which was applied to determine the elements Ag, B, Co, Cr, Ga, Mo, Ni, Sn, Sr and V. The greatest difference between the “overall total” concentrations and the “total extractable concentrations” were found for chromium.Based on the obtained results, an upper limit for normal levels of trace elements was fixed.For Ag, Cd, Hg, Pb and Sb, this upper limit value is almost the same for all the investigated soils irrelevant of their texture. The same conclusion could not be made for the other elements. For these elements, the soil texture and also the geological parent material, on which the soil was formed, have an influence on the upper limit value.

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