Geochemical Factors as a Tool for Distinguishing Geogenic from Anthropogenic Sources of Potentially Toxic Elements in the Soil

Tomislav Brenko, Stanko Ružičić (), Niko Radonić, Martina Puljko and Marko Cvetković
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Tomislav Brenko: Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Stanko Ružičić: Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Niko Radonić: Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Martina Puljko: GDi, Baštijanova 52a, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Cvetković: Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: Potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination of soils and their sources remains one of key global environmental concerns. Agricultural soil in Kalinovac, Podravina region, Croatia is the subject of this study. The main aims include determining the concentration and distribution of PTEs in the soil, differentiation between possible geogenic and anthropogenic sources, and determining the correlation between the analysed PTEs and soil parameters. To achieve these objectives, geochemical analyses of the soil in the study area were carried out. Spatial distribution of the individual PTE contents, enrichment factors (EF), contamination factors (CF), and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were created using GIS tools. In addition, statistical data processing was carried out, including the calculation of the correlation matrix, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and factor analysis. The obtained results show that certain elements such as lead, chromium, copper, and cadmium were predominantly of anthropogenic origin in the study area, while others tended to have more geogenic origin. By applying different methods used in this study, it is possible to distinguish between geogenic and anthropogenic sources of PTEs in soils of this type.

Keywords: enrichment factor; contamination factor; geoaccumulation index; spatial distribution; hierarchical cluster analysis; factor analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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