TEMPORAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACTUAL ASSESSMEN T OF A LEAD SOIL CONTAMINATION IN THE SURROUNDINGS OF A GLASS FACTORY IN THURINGIA

In this study the lead content in the area around a source of emission was investigated. The lead pollution of the soil originates in lead c ontaining dust from glass production. The overall contamination of the considered area was found out using the geostatistical method of krig ing. The measurement included 34 samples taken at different spots arou nd the source of emission. A similar study as this was made in the beg inning of the eighties. In comparison to the latter recent results sho w lower values of lead contamination of the soil, but at the same time the area of pollution enlarges. At a high polluted point a profile of the soil was investigated. It showed that the lead content decreases rapidly with increasing depth. A contamination by lead can be detected down to a depth of 20 cm. The lead values show a significant correlat ion with the carbon contents of the soil. An estimation of the amount of lead stored in the investigated area indicates an obvious reduction from 2.1 t in 1985 to 1 t in 1994. This can be explained by a seconda ry transfer of the dust from the considered to adjoining areas.