International Carpathian Control Conference ICCC’ 2002 MALENOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC May 27-30, 2002

APPLICATION OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) TO THE ASSESSMENT OF SOIL CONTAMINATION Andrzej DAWIDOWSKI1, Zbigniew BZOWSKI2 and Wojciech KONOPA3 1,2 Department of Environmental Monitoring, 3 Department of Informatics Central Mining Institute Katowice, Poland, [email protected]

Abstract: Environment monitoring for the evaluation of it’s degradation needs an auxiliary (supportive) implement such as numerical method. Three-dimensional modelling methods are especially useful for this. Such modelling is a defined set of mathematical and logic relations that determine quantitative relationships between characteristics and factors of model and is a modern research technique. Application of this technique in monitoring of for instead the distribution of contaminant concentrations in different environment elements such as air, underground and surface waters, soils and plants decides about correctness and specification of consideration concerning prognostic analysis and alteration dynamics. Three-dimensional display of research effects of heavy metals contamination of soils on the area degraded by industrial activity is presented in the paper. The contents of Pb, Zn, Ba and As were examined. These contents are characteristic for the monitored area. The obtained research results were used to create the project accomplished by the use of software package produced by INTERGRAPH Microstation MGE. Key words: monitoring, pollution, modelling.

1 Introduction Monitoring as a computerized and research system of environment condition and reshaping recording includes measurement of contaminants in all environment components. It includes also designing of new equipment and apparatus for measurement of these contaminants. This applies both to “null” status of environment an verification and update of environment changes according to pre-established criteria [Drobek, Bzowski 1997]. Moreover, the monitoring is aimed at development and implementation of alarm systems for warning against extraordinary environmental hazards. 433

The monitoring of environment in order to establish its degradation requires a supporting tool in a form of statistics-derived procedures. Geostatistic modeling methods are especially useful. The modeling understood as a definition of set of mathematical and logical relations, determining quantitative relationships between model characteristics and constituents constitutes a state-of-the art research method. Its application for monitoring such phenomena as distribution of contaminants concentration in various components of environment: air, underground and surface water, soil and vegetation decides upon correctness of consideration concerning forecast analyses and dynamics of changes [Wiatr 1996], [Namysłowska, Pyra 2000].

2 Soil Monitoring Earth surface monitoring is a control and decision evaluation system for dynamics of anthropogenous and natural changes occurring in soil. It consists in carrying out repeatable measurements and tests of soils in selected characteristic points, and interpret the results in the aspect of environment protection. The purpose of environment monitoring is supporting of actions aimed at liquidation or limitation of negative impact of anthropogenous factors on soil condition [Neffe and others 2000]. In Poland, soil monitoring is carried out in selected and representative observation points. The main purpose of regional soil monitoring is recognition and continuous check of soil contamination condition with regional (agricultural) meaning. The purpose of local monitoring is to recognize and assess stated and potential impacts of local contamination centers in soil condition. Local soil monitoring is most frequently carried out around municipal and industrial waste dump yards, storages and warehouses containing chemical substances, fuels etc.

3 Characteristics of Subject Matter of Research The Environmental Monitoring Department at Central Mining Institute (GIG) carries out monitoring of soils adjacent to the liquidated Chemical Plant in Tarnowskie Góry. This Plant has been built on grasslands and partially forest lands. In the Plant itself and around it there are many dump yards of various wastes, created in various periods of time. Year 1985 is marked as a beginning of plant’s activity in production of chemicals. Wastes have been dumped in this area already at the end of previous century. The mean annual temperature in the area described amounts to +7,8oC. July is the hottest and January is toe coldest month. The average annual precipitation amounts to 677mm. In average, the most rainy month is July - 105 mm, and the least one is February 31 mm. The period between April and October features 492 mm of precipitation, accounting for 72% of annual precipitation. Because of quantity and quality of wastes accumulated around the plant, 21 points of local soil monitoring have been established. Location of points was determined based on a coordinate listing as per State coordinate system 1965 at the Kronsztad reference level. Location of points is shown on Fig. 1. Quarterly soil monitoring was performed over the period 1999 – 2001.

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Figure 1. Location of soil monitoring points in the location of liquidated Chemical Plant LP1/1 - points of local soil monitoring The soil samples collected for testing are mostly of sandy character with humus material inclusion. Soil taken from points situated in the western and eastern part of monitored area show features proper to light soil existing in the forest wastelands. Other soil samples from the points located in the northern area are of turf, turf and sand or turf and mud character. This is soil developing in waterlogged forest and dry-ground forest areas and are now covered with grass.

4 Testing Procedure The issues of spatial representation of selected heavy metal contents in soil taken from the monitored area have been solved using a software package Microstation MGE of INTERGRAPH. This software package consists of the following modules operating under Windows 95: Microstation 95; MGE Basic Nucleus; MGE Basic Administrator; MGE Base Mapper; MGE Terrain Analyst; MGE Grid Generator; MGE Coordinate System. This software supports a SQL database Centura operating in Novell 4.11. platform. The grid has been registered assigning coordinates to eight (8) checkpoints. Then a local coordinate system has been defined related with orthogonal and square network of measurement points. At the same time, a database structure has been prepared according to the information provided (point coordinates x, y, contamination). 435

During the project realization using Microstation MGE, the authors have prepared SQL - Century laguage script, replacing certain operations available from the MGE tool level, as well as a list of elements not supported by MGE-Centura system. Using the Terrain Analyst module and based on data collected in the project database, a three-dimensional triangle model (TIN) and orthogonal model (GRID) have been established. For the creation of charts, the most accurate interpolation available in MGE, called “bicubic” was used. Creation of interpolation models that represents the soil contaminants’ values in the best way required application of coefficients (constant for each element) to get rid of influence of data value dynamics on the visualization of this phenomenon [Dawidowski and others 1999, 2000].

5 Test Results For the purpose of the three-dimensional representation of soil monitoring results there were selected contaminants’ test results that were characteristic for a production profile of Chemical Plant as well as for refuse collected on the existing dump yard. Selected were results of total contents of arsenic, barium, zinc and lead in soil. The established contents of zinc and lead in tested soil have been then compared with acceptable values for light soil in Poland Results of example mean and extreme values of heavy metals in monitored soil are presented in Table 1. The variability of concentrations selected for contaminants’ projection are shown on figure 2. The tests performed and comparison of results in the tables, as well as presented spreading of contaminants in soil show that monitored soil features a considerable contents of heavy metals. Monitored soil contain large amounts of organic substances (humus) and mud with high sorption values, thus favorable for concentration of zinc and lead. Soil of turf type features an effect of soil enriching with such atypical elements as barium and arsenic. This is due bot to the toxic character of these elements and production profile of Chemical Plant over past years.

6 Summary The above presented analysis of results obtained shows that the past activity of liquidated Chemical Plant and disposed wastes have an active impact on soil environment. Effects of this impact and changes in the environment are the best visible in north-eastern and eastern part of the monitored area. Application of a model built with use of INTERGRAPH software package Microstation MGE to the interpretation of soil monitoring enables visualisation of results. The proposed visualisation method for assessment of heavy metal contamination condition was also applicable for identification of anomalies in the concentration of substances of anthorpogenic origin. This method facilitates considerably the data processing procedure also offering additional evaluation methods. This tool presents accurately the variability of contamination in soil of the monitored area.

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arsenic

barium

lead

zinc

Figure 2. The variability of concentrations selected for contaminants’ projection

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Table 1. Example mean and extreme values of Pb, Zn, Ba and As in monitored soil LP 1/5 LP 1/7 LP 1/9 LP 3/1 LP 6/3 LP 8/1 LP12/0 LP12/1 LP15/0 LP17/0 LP17/1

Mean St. dev. Min Max Mean St. dev. Min Max Mean St. dev. Min Max Mean St. dev. Min Max

Pb [mg/kg] (acceptable amounts for light soil 50 mg/kg) 67 68 100 73 96 60 235 78 188 194 371 72 46 32 22 108 44 169 32 53 71 98 9 20 46 43 8 15 38 90 96 122 203 224 152 141 115 393 150 509 144 255 318 470 Zn [mg/kg] (acceptable amounts for light soil 200 mg/kg) 65 91 134 80 127 48 413 98 415 166 528 46 75 49 35 90 29 209 44 197 78 67 12 41 68 39 9 12 181 35 167 79 381 152 270 235 143 257 100 645 170 740 304 625 Ba [mg/kg] 543 671 1119 373 707 273 7038 1193 2683 1105 4160 527 560 705 234 973 274 3727 1154 1582 829 2266 56 130 225 128 17 37 2292 105 1151 350 607 1566 1890 2768 882 2807 920 12561 3296 5499 2610 6983 As [mg/kg] 3 5 4 5 3 3 14 4 10 6 7 1 2 1 1 1 1 9 1 4 1 2 2 3 2 2 1 1 4 2 3 5 3 4 8 5 6 5 5 25 6 13 7 11

References DAWIDOWSKI A., GWOŹDZIEWICZ M., BZOWSKI Z. ,KONOPA W. 1999. Evaluation of applicable geometric grids for collection and testing of soil contaminants used in the Geographic Information System. In: Komputer w ochronie środowiska, Mrzeżyno, 29-35. DAWIDOWSKI A., BZOWSKI Z., KONOPA W. 2000. Presentation of contamination existing in the former industrial areas using digital techniques. In: Komputerowe wspomaganie badań naukowych VII KOWBAN’2000, Wrocław – Polanica Zdrój, 271-276. DROBEK L., BZOWSKI Z. 1997. Monitoring – the response to the condition and changes of environment. Conference materials Nowoczesne technologie inżynierii środowiska w gminie GIG Katowice No 18; 29-36. NAMYSŁOWSKA-WILCZYŃSKA B., PYRA J. 2000. Application of kirging estimation methods for assessment of soil contamination with copper and lead in LGOM. Mat. III Forum Inżynierii Ekologicznej, Nałęczów, p. 222-234. NEFFE S., FILIPOWICZ M., BŁĄDEK J., BIL J. 2000. Recognition and monitoring of chemical environment contamination. Conference materials: Nadzwyczajne zagrożenia środowiska. Ekokatastrofy. Karpacz WIATR I. 1996. Geostatic methods in monitoring of natural environment degradation condition. Ekoinżynieria 1; 26-34.

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