Abstract
An investigation was made of the Zn, Cu, Mn, and Pb contents in samples of soil and grass collected along highways and in fields adjoining industrial zones in Belgium. Soil contamination by Zn and Pb was quite pronounced along highways and in some cases contamination by Mn was also observed. Contamination by these heavy metals decreased rapidly with increasing distance from the highway. High values of metal accumulation in plants located near highways were observed. The accumulation of Pb was particularly pronounced. Contamination by Cu, Zn, Pb and possibly Mn in soils of some urban gardens was also recorded.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agrawal, Y. K., Pagel, M. P., and Merh, S. S.: 1981, Journal of Environmental Studies 16, 22.
Albasel, N.: 1971–2, ‘The Trace Element Uptake and Content of Pasture Crops as Influenced by External Factors’, Ph.D. thesis State Univ. of Ghent, Belgium.
Bondev, I. A. and Bogev, V. M.: 1981, Ekologia 9, 37.
Cannon, H. L. and Bowles, J. M.: 1962, Science 137, 765.
Cottenie, A. and Kino, L.: 1967, Colloque de Lyon 7e Colloque d'Analyse par diffractometrie de Rayon X avril 1967, pp. 168.
Kloke, A. and Riebartschm, K.: 1964, Naturwissenschaften 51, 367.
Low, K. S., Lee, C. K., and Arshad, M. Y.: 1979, Pertanika 2, 105.
Marten, G. C. and Hammond, P. B.: 1966, Agron, J. 58, 553.
Milberg, R. P., Lagerwerff, J. V., Brower, D. L., and Bierdorf, T.: 1980, J. Envir. Qual. 9, 6.
Mitchell, R. L., Reith, J. W. S., and Johnson, I. M.: 1956. (2nd Symposium) Soil Copper Status and Plant Uptake, 2nd Symposium on Plant Analysis and Fertilizer Problems. 6th Int. Congr. Soil Sci. (Paris) 249.
Purvis, D.: 1967, Pl. Soil 26, 380.
Purvis, D.: 1968, Soil Sci. (Adelaide) 11, 351.
Purvis, D.: 1969, Nature 210, 1077.
Purvis, D. and Mackenzie, G. E. J.: 1969, J. Sci20, 2.
Purvis, D. and Mackenzie, G. E. J.: 1970, Pl. Soil 33, 483.
Robel, R. J., Howard, C. A., and Udevitz, M. S.: 1981, Environmental Entomology 10, 262.
Stoyanov, P. and Etropolski, H.: 1980, Agrokhimiya 15, 72.
Wong, M. H. and Lau, W. M.: 1983, Environmental Pollution. A 31, 203.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel. No. 836-E, 1983 series.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Albasel, N., Cottenie, A. Heavy metal contamination near major highways, industrial and urban areas in belgian grassland. Water Air Soil Pollut 24, 103–109 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00229522
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00229522