The Nature of the Technosols on the Waste from Nickel Production

Eva Michaeli, Vladimír Solár, Matúš Maxin, Jozef Vilček and Martin Boltižiar
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Eva Michaeli: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, 17. Novembra 1, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia
Vladimír Solár: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, 17. Novembra 1, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia
Matúš Maxin: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, 17. Novembra 1, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia
Jozef Vilček: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, 17. Novembra 1, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia
Martin Boltižiar: Department of Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosophers University in Nitra, Trieda A. Hlinku 1, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the properties of the metallurgical sludge—waste from nickel production—on the landfill of a former nickel plant in Sereď, Slovakia, in relation to the technosols soil group. The sludge is a loose material which is a toxic industrial technological anthropogenic sediment of an unnatural black colour which originated from the crushing, washing, and leaching of poor iron–nickel lateritic ore in ammoniac solution and other caustics substances. The terrain reconnaissance enabled us to identify the points for the location of the probes. Here we dug seven probes and took 17 samples. In the samples the pH levels, the content of heavy metal and iron TOC, IC, C, and N, and the C:N ratio were determined. This study provides substantial empirical data on the properties of the metallurgical sludge. The results of the analyses clearly demonstrate that the sludge is a strongly alkaline material and contains toxic amounts of heavy metals (Cr, Ni). It is an artefact whose properties are unfavourable to living organisms and their communities. On the basis of the results of the probes analysis we identified the nature of the technosols on the given locality.

Keywords: metallurgical sludge; lateritic iron–nickel ore; landfill; technosols (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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