Assessment of Possible Zinc Accumulation in Soils in the Zone of Potential Zinc-Works Influence

The work aimed at determining the susceptibility to zinc accumulation of soils exposed to potential influence of zinc-works. Estimation of soil zinc binding ability was conducted by a modified method suggested by H.P. Blume and G. Brummer, according to which soils are divided into 5 classes differing with heavy metal accumulation ability depending on their physicochemical properties. The most important parameter of this division is soil pH, whereas the content of organic matter and < 0.02 mm particles fraction content in soil play an auxiliary role. Conducted assessment of zinc binding ability in soils revealed that in the area of potential influence of zinc-works, soils with low zinc accumulation ability have the biggest share. Among all analysed soils, 68 % of samples collected from the 0–10 cm layer and 58 % from the 40–50 cm layer reveal low or medium zinc binding abilities. Such high percentage of soils with these disadvantageous properties is mainly due to the fact that in these areas there is the highest number of acid soils with granular size distribution of loose sands. In case when the zinc-works starts operation, there is a serious potential of introducing excessive zinc amounts to food chain.