Natural and anthropogenic sources of chromium, nickel and cobalt in soils impacted by agricultural and industrial activity (Vojvodina, Serbia)

This study reports the contents and sources of chromium, nickel and cobalt, as well as Al, Ca, Mg, K, Fe and Mn in Vojvodina regions Srem and Central Banat area soil samples. Different methods were applied to identify the sources of the studied elements and to classify the latter as geogenic and/or anthropogenic: modified Tessier sequential extraction, calculation ratio of E/Al, XRPD, correlations and cluster analysis. The sampling methodology was according to the GEMAS project. The results show that increasing content of chromium, cobalt and nickel detected in studied soils can be explained by a distribution pattern and the presence of ultramafic and mafic parent rocks, as well as by significant anthropogenic pollution, mainly originating from the industry at some localities. The statistically significant difference between the content of Cr and Ni in soils of Srem and C. Banat is observed. The content of the studied elements is higher in soils of Srem. The normalization to Al indicating a presence of the anthropogenic sources which my significantly affect the content of Cr and Ni in the soils from Beoin, Ruma and Stara Pazova. There is no shown influence of eventual agrochemicals application on the Cr, Ni and Co content.