Identification and mapping of heavy metal pollution in soils of a sports ground in Galway City,Ireland, using a portable XRF analyser and GIS

Heavy metals in urban soils continue to attract attention because of their potential long-term effects on human health. During a previous investigation of urban soils in Galway City, Ireland, a pollution hotspot of Pb, Cu, Zn and As was identified in the sports ground of South Park in the Claddagh. The sports ground was formerly a rubbish dumping site for both municipal and industrial wastes. In the present study, a portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analyser was used to obtain rapid in-situ elemental analyses of the topsoil (depth: about 5–10 cm) at 200 locations on a 20 × 20-m grid in South Park. Extremely high values of the pollutants were found, with maximum values of Pb, Zn, Cu and As of 10,297, 24,716, 2224 and 744 mg/kg soil, respectively. High values occur particularly where the topsoil cover is thin, whereas lower values were found in areas where imported topsoil covers the polluted substrate. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques were applied to the dataset to create elemental spatial distribution maps, three-dimensional images and interpretive hazard maps of the pollutants in the study area. Immediate action to remediate the contaminated topsoil is recommended to safeguard the health of children who play at the sports ground.     

Influence of some abiotic environmental factors on acute toxicity of inorganic lead to Cyprinus carpio var communis (Linn.) and Catla catla (Ham.) in simulated toxic aquatic environment

With the increase of water hardness from 60 to 720?mg/L CaCO₃, total alkalinity from 32 to 376?mg/L CaCO_3, pH from 7.6 to 7.9 and chloride from 28 to 350?mg/L, 96?h LC₅₀ on the basis of total lead increased from 8.2 to 1291?mg/L for Cyprinus carpio and 5.3 to 865?mg/L for Catla catla, when soil sediments were included these values were further raised to 1356 and 874?mg/L, respectively. The dissolved lead LC₅₀ values in all the treatments of soil and water was consistent with fixed amount of dissolved lead (1.04–1.78?mg/L) being needed for median lethal toxicity. Total lead toxicity also decreased with increase in pH from 6.3 to 11.3. 96?h LC₅₀ values increased for common carp 15 to 631?mg/L and for catla, 8 to 355?mg/L. But dissolved lead toxicity was found to increase with the increase of pH from 6.3 to 11.3 for both common carp (LC₅₀, 3.53 to 0.24?mg/L) and catla (LC₅₀, 2.21 to 0.09?mg/L). Removal of dissolved Pb with increasing carbonate content, particulate matter and pH due to adsorption, precipitation or coprecipitation reaction, reduced the dissolved lead concentration and thus the total lead toxicity. Increase in toxicity of lead with increase of exposure time was the biological response of longer contact time and decrease in dissolved lead toxicity with decrease in pH was due to increase H⁺ ion competition.