VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF COPPER CONTENT IN SOIL FROM ZLATNA AREA

Activity of non-ferrous metallurgical plant from Zlatna were released directly to atmosphere high levels of heavy metal, most of them were deposited on soil. The soil acts as a sink in which heavy metals are accumulated. The object of this study is to assess the distribution of copper along the different soil profile at specific distance from the pollution sources and under different land use. The vertical distribution of total copper was studied on 25 soil profiles. The main soils from investigated area are: Dystric Cambisols, Eutric Cambisols, Haplic Luvisols, Luvisols, Regosols, Fluvisols, and strongly eroded soils. The studied soils have been classified according to their main characteristics in agreement with WRB 98. The soil samples were taken from each soil horizons. The field studies were made on area of the influence of Ampellum Zlatna S.A, on 14 km upstream and 22 km downstream of contaminating source The total copper was measured with flame atomic absorption by a mixture of strong acids (hydrochloric, sulphuric and perchloric acid-5:10:1 ratio). In the examined soils, generally, the copper soil profile distribution show a maximum value in the top soil and then decrease with depth. Between soils copper content and soil organic matter of studied soil was established a very significant correlation. The highest values of total copper were determined in the litter, followed by pasture and arable land. In soil used as forest, the cooper is highly accumulated in the forest litter and then decrease on soil profile. The highest contents of total copper in soils used as meadow are retained in the top few centimeters of the surface soil. In case of arable land use, the maximum values are recorded under plowed layer and then decrease on soil profile. The distribution of the copper on soil profile presented less variation with soil type, but rather with distance from pollution source and land use. The human impact of metal accumulation in top soil was confirmed by the fact that concentrations of copper decreased with depth.