Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/26.3.4699
Potentially toxic elements (As, Cu, Pb and Zn) in former vineyard soils under olive groves and natural vegetation
Aleksandra BENSA
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
*
Nikolina JURKOVIĆ BALOG
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Katarina MATAN
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Aleksandra PERČIN
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
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
Hrčak ID:
335649
URI
Publication date:
17.9.2025.
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