Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.4154/GC.2015.10

Multivariate statistical analysis of urban soil contamination by heavy metals at selected industrial locations in the Greater Toronto area, Canada

Yousef Habous Nazzal ; Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University
Nassir S. N. Al-Arifi ; Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University
Muhammad Kamran Jafri ; Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University
Hossam Kishawy ; Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of
Habes A Ghrefat ; professor
Mahmoud M El-Waheidi ; Professor
Awni T. Batayneh ; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Yarmouk University
Taisser A Zumlot ; Assist professor

Abstract

A good understanding of urban soil contamination with metals and the location of pollution sources due to industrialization and urbanization is important for addressing many environmental problems. The results are reported here of an analysis of the metals content in urban soils samples next toindustrial locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario, Canada. Theanalyzed metals are Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Multivariate geostatistcalanalysis (correlation matrix, cluster analysis, principal component analysis) is used to estimate soil chemical content variability. The correlation matrix exhibits a positive correlation with Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb. The principal component analysis (PCA) displays two components. The first component explains the major part of the total variance and is loaded heavily with Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn,and Pb, and the sources are industrial activities and traffic flows. The second component is loaded with Ni, and Cd, and the sources could be lithology andtraffic flow. The results of the cluster analysis demonstrate three major clusters: 1) Mn-Zn, 2) Pb-Cd-Cu and Cr, 3) Fe-Ni. The geo-accumulation index and the pollution load index are determined and show the main I geovalues to be in the range of 0-1.67; the values indicate that the soil samples studied for industrial locations in the GTA are slightly to moderately contaminated with Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Cd, and moderately contaminated with Pb,while Ni, and Mn fall in class "0". Regarding the pollution load ingindex (PLI), the lowest values are observed at stations 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12,25, 27 and 28, while the highest values are recorded for stations 1, 5, 6, 13,14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22 and 24, and very high PLI readings are seen for stations 5, 13, 16, 17, 18, 22 and 24. These data confirm that the type of industries, especially metallurgical and chemical related ones, in the study area, in addition to high traffic flows, are the main sources for soil pollution in the GTA.

Keywords

Heavy metals; multivariate analysis; pollution loading index; Greater Toronto Area

Hrčak ID:

141057

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/141057

Publication date:

18.6.2015.

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