Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution (Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg) in Urban Soils of Roadsides in Brno

This environmental study is focused on the distribution of heavy metals in the soils of selected localities in Brno. The soils samples were collected near roadsides and the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Hg were determined with using atomic absorption spectrometry. The contamination of soils from selected localities was evaluated on the basis of the pollution index, contamination factor and degree of contamination; and the limit contents of heavy metals in soils which is listed in the Guidance MŽP Czech Republic were also used for assessing the contamination. Mercury and cadmium have been identified as the main polluting metals in selected localities with a high transport load. The obtained results also confirmed that the environment of Brno can be characterized as an area of uncontaminated to a moderate degree contaminated in relation to the contamination factor and contamination degree of the environment in the case of metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Hg).