DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/26.3.4699
Original scientific paper
Potentially toxic elements (As, Cu, Pb and Zn) in former vineyard soils under olive groves and natural vegetation
2025, 26 (3) p. 772-784
Aleksandra Bensa, Nikolina Jurković Balog, Katarina Matan, Aleksandra Perčin
Abstract
The study aimed to determine and compare concentrations of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in former vineyard soils under olive groves and natural vegetation and to assess soil pollution in the studied area. The study was conducted in the Primošten municipality in Middle Dalmatia, Croatia, on Terra rossa soil. A total of 20 topsoil samples were taken, out of which 10 were from soils under natural vegetation (NV) and 10 from olive groves (OG). The total concentrations of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn were determined by using the pXRF method. Significantly higher Cu and Zn concentrations were determined in OG (199.3 and 138.0 mg/kg, respectively) compared to NV (51.8 and 118.1 mg/kg, respectively). Mean concentrations of As and Pb in NV (19.8 and 48.2 mg/kg, respectively) and OG (19.8 and 46.6 mg/kg, respectively) were not statistically different. The As, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in NV were below maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) for agricultural land according to Croatian legislation (OG 71/19). However, the soils of OG were polluted by Cu and Zn. Enrichment factor (EF) pointed to minimal enrichment of soils under NV with As, Pb, and Zn, and minimal to moderate with Cu. Soils under OG were minimally enriched with As and Pb, minimally to moderately with Zn, and moderately to significantly with Cu. The obtained results pointed to more detailed studies of potentially toxic elements (PTE), especially Cu, in the study area.
Keywords
Dalmatia, soil pollution, enrichment factor, Terra rossa
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