Assessment of Heavy Metal Content in Soils Adjacent to the DK16-Route in Olsztyn (North-Eastern Poland)

The paper discusses the problem of the impact of the road on the content of heavy metals in soil and the impact of land use on limiting the migration of these xenobiotics. The area submitted to the research stretched along Sielska Street in Olsztyn, which is a section of the DK 16 route connecting Olsztyn and Ostroda. This area varies in terms of land relief, land use and plant cover. Soil samples were taken on both sides of the street at a distance of 1, 10 and 20 m from the road. The content of trace elements (Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn and Fe), soil reaction (pH), salinity (EC) and total organic carbon (TOC) were determined in the soil. The enrichment factor (EF) was calculated. The content of heavy metals in soil was relatively low and did not exceed the relevant standard values [1]. Significantly higher content of Cd, Cu, Zn and Mn and the EC value were noted on the northern side of the street, which to some extent could be attributed to the position of this area along an outward bend of the road. Values of EF obtained for: Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Co, and Ni may indicate their anthropogenic accumulation in soil. Moreover, the study showed that appropriate management of the land (a green belt, a hedge, trees) can reduce the translocation of heavy metals over larger distances.