Heavy metals in sediments and runoff waters in soils of the Matanza River Basin, Argentina

Soil profiles near watercourses that drain rural areas with agricultural lands and pastures, as well as recreational zones and densely populated industrial centers, are directly influenced by human activities. Therefore, these soils condition the contamination dynamics of the aforementioned watercourses in a remarkable way. The present study deals with soils belonging to a first order subbasin. Pedons representative of positive areas located in slopes (B) and of alkaline sites close to the alluvial plane (T) were selected as study sites. In both cases, the land is used for extensive farming. Composite samples of the upper 5 cm of both soil types were treated either with vermi-compost or phosphate fertilizer to study the effect of the addition of these elements on the runoff dynamics of heavy metals. Experiments using a rainfall simulator that formed drops on runoff microplots containing soil samples were carried out under laboratory conditions. The runoff obtained was analyzed for lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni), both dissolved and particulate, following the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) adaptation of the sequential extraction procedure. From these results, it was concluded that the use of high amounts of organic amendment produced important effects on the surface condition of the soils that determine a highly significant reduction in the delivery of suspended solids to watercourses. Amendments, however, may release heavy metals that flow through runoff avenues either as particulate or dissolved forms. Most of the heavy metal concentration is represented by the sediments produced by the runoff and not by the concentration of dissolved elements in runoff waters.