Leaching of copper,chromium and arsenic in a soil of south west Victoria,Australia |
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Authors: | Yasmin Kelsall Mayumi Allinson Graeme Allinson Nick Turoczy Frank Stagnitti Masataka Nishikawa |
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Institution: | 1. School of Ecology and Environment , Deakin University , PO Box 423, Warrnambool, Victoria, 3280, Australia;2. Regional Environment Division , National Institute for Environmental Studies , 16–2 Onogawa, Ibaraki, Tsukuba, 305, Japan |
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Abstract: | The movement of copper, chromium and arsenic originating from samples of the wood preservative Tanalith® through mildly acidic, sandy loam soil was investigated. Small, undisturbed soil cores (of dimensions 15 × 15 × 15 cm) were removed from the topsoil of a paddock adjacent to the Glenelg River in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The paddock soils were thin (<30cm) greyish brown, mildly acidic, sandy loams with a moderate organic carbon content (2–5%) overlying a limestone cap. Tanalith® was applied to the surface of the cores which were then irrigated with deionised water at approximately 30 mm day‐1. Copper concentrations in all leachate remained at background levels throughout the experiment, and this element was found to be immobilised in the top 4 cm of the soil. Up to 29% of the applied dose of chromium was detected in the leachate, with breakthrough occurring within 20 days of Tanalith® application. Up to 13% ofthe applied dose ofarsenic was detected in the leachate, although in this case breakthrough was not observed until 25 days after Tanalith® application and leachate concentrations were still rising when the experiment came to a close. Significant concentrations of arsenic and chromium were found in the top 6 cm of the soil profile. |
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Keywords: | Acid sandy soils southern Australia timber preservatives copper chromium arsenic pesticide mobility |
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