Monitoring Heavy Metals in Urban Soils at Lisbon

Hugo F. Silva1*, Andrei Sadovski1, Cristina Oliveira2, Manuel J. Matos1

1

Instituto Superior Engenharia de Lisboa - DEQ, Portugal

Faculdade de Cincias da Universidade de Lisboa - DQB, Portugal

*

hsilva@deq.isel.ipl.pt

In the year of 1999 leaded petrol was abolished in Portugal and a significant decrease of environmental lead contamination was expected in the following years. Since 1998 our group has followed the contamination by lead on poplar leaves in the city of Lisbon and verified that the lead content in this bio-indicator specie decreased significantly in the years following the abolition of leaded petrol, but kept their content almost unchanged thereafter [1]. This led us to consider the existence of high levels of lead and other heavy metals in soils that would be the cause of the high levels of lead in the poplar leaves. The soil has a high retention capacity for heavy metals, but when this capacity is exceeded, the metals become bio-available. Therefore they can contaminate the food chain or be leached to groundwater. The contamination can also prevent the use of these soils for the so fashionable urban gardens. Because heavy metals are the cause of various diseases of the nervous system, kidney dysfunction, immune system compromising and lung cancer [2], we have considered this study of Lisbon soils very important. In this communication the results of lead, cadmium, nickel and chromium levels in soils from Lisbon area, collected from 2003 to 2011 are present. In Figure 1 we can see the results of lead between 2003 and 2010.The heavy metals content of soils was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) after aqua regia digestion [3]. The real knowledge of soil conditions in terms of pollution by heavy metals is extremely important [4], because it allows better decision making in relation to its use and also to consider the implementation of remedial actions if necessary.

Fig.1-Levels of lead in Lisbon soils between 2003 and 2010

References [1] Silva, F.H., Tese de Mestrado, FCUL, 2006. [2] Ravindra K., Bencs L., Grieken R.V, Sci. Total Environ., 2004, 318, 1-43. [3] M.J. Matos, H.F.Silva, N.F.Silva, Tend. Actuales de la Ciencia del Suelo, 2007, 1, 648-657. [4] Xinghui Xia, Xi Chen, Ruimin Liu, Hong Liu, J.Hazard.Mat.,2011,186, 2043-2050.

Monitoring Heavy Metals in Urban Soils at Lisbon

Hugo F. Silva1*, Andrei Sadovski1, Cristina Oliveira2, Manuel J. Matos1
1

Instituto Superior Engenharia de Lisboa - DEQ, Portugal

Faculdade de Cincias da Universidade de Lisboa - DQB, Portugal

*

hsilva@deq.isel.ipl.pt

Fig.1-Levels of lead in Lisbon soils between 2003 and 2010

Levels of metals have increased over the years, proving its accumulation in the soil; Lisbon almost without industry Main source Traffic; Most polluted sites Marqus of Pombal and 2 Circular Higher traffic intensity.