CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF SOIL POLLUTION WITH FLUORINE

11th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM2011, www.sgem.org, SGEM2011 Conference Proceedings/ ISSN 1314-2704, June 20-25, 2011, Vol. 2, 1055-1062 pp

ABSTRACT

The research regarding the soil pollution with fluorine has been realized on the lands
near the Aluminium Factory from Slatina (S.C. ALRO S.A.). Two soil profiles (0-120
cm.), as well as several agrochemical proofs (0–20 cm.) from the area that has been the
most affected by pollution have been analysed (Picture 1). Fluorine accumulations in
soil occur depending on the emissions intensity, the atmosphere status (the prevalent
direction of air streams, the frequency and the quantity of the rain-fall), the distance
from the emission source and soil properties, as well.

Thus, it has been noticed that fluorine accumulation in soil is bigger (70-120 p.p.m.)
until the distance of 250-300 m., it is reduced to the half (40-60 p.p.m.) at the distance
of 500-600 m. and it decreases very much (20 p.p.m.) at more than 1000 m. far away
from the emission source. Analysing fluorine distribution on the soil profile, it is
noticed that it is accumulated in a bigger quantity (100 p.p.m.) in the arable horizon (0-
30 cm.), after which it decreases very much, in little quantities (10-15 p.p.m.), reaching
80-100 cm.

Taking into account the classes of soil loading with fluorine [1], it results that the soil in
the studied area is highly polluted with fluorine (>91 p.p.m.) in the arable horizon (0-20
cm.) very close to the factory (150-200 m.), it is very polluted (>61 p.p.m.) until the distance of 350-400 m. and it is weakly-temperate (25-45 p.p.m.) until the distance of 1000 m., on the prevalent direction of air streams. As the distance from the pollution source increases, the fluorine contents in the soil is reduced very much, approaching
normal values (10-12 p.p.m.).

Keywords: aluminium, emissions, fluorine, pollution, atmosphere status, soil profile, arable horizon, plants, animals.