Application of arsenic baselines in the assessment of soil contamination in Finland |
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Authors: | Jaana Jarva Timo Tarvainen Jussi Reinikainen |
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Institution: | (1) Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), P.O. Box 96, 02151 Espoo, Finland;(2) Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), P.O. Box 140, 00251 Helsinki, Finland |
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Abstract: | In Finland, a new Government Decree on the Assessment of Soil Contamination and Remediation Needs (214/2007) came into force
on 1 June 2007. According to the Decree, natural baseline concentration levels should be taken into account when assessing
potential soil contamination and the need for remediation. This applies particularly in the case of toxic metallic elements,
since baseline concentrations may naturally be rather high. The new decree prescribes soil screening values for 52 substances
or groups of substances. The natural baseline concentrations have been taken into account in the definition of the screening
values for inorganic pollutants. The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) carried out a nation-wide geochemical mapping of till
on a reconnaissance scale in 1983 and on a regional scale during 1984–1992. These surveys have provided information on natural
elemental distribution in subsoils of the glacial till. However, some important trace elements in regional mapping such as
arsenic are missing from the analysis, and subsoil samples do not reflect the diffuse anthropogenic input. Thus, GTK has continued
the survey work by determining geochemical baselines around suburban areas. Samples have been taken from humus, topsoil and
subsoil layers, and the soil parent material has covered sandy soils, glacial tills and fine-grained sediments. According
to the studies, a regional difference in the levels of arsenic and some other trace elements can be clearly seen, especially
in minerogenic soils. The results illustrate the importance of information on regional baseline concentrations while assessing
potential soil contamination. |
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Keywords: | Arsenic Baseline studies Geochemical surveys Guidance value Humus Soil contamination Subsoil Topsoil |
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