Yttrium normalisation: A new tool for detection of chromium contamination in soil samples

The measurement of chromium and yttrium concentration could give a chance t o detect 5-10 times less chromium contamination in soil by using the yttriu m normalisation method. The principle of the method is the following: eleme nts such as chromium and yttrium exist naturally in the soil in a strongly bonded form. Therefore, in a noncontaminated area there should be a close c orrelation between the yttrium and chromium concentrations. If the measured Cr concentration in a sample is not on the Cr-Y trend line then the distan ce of plotted point from the line indicates the amount of anthropogenic chr omium. Anthropogenic chromium can be detected only in the case when the con tamination does not contain yttrium. This theory was tested in an agricultu ral-toxicological field experiment where Cr(VI) was added to the soil. Appl ying the yttrium normalisation method a much smaller anthropogenic effect w as detected than by other evaluation methods.