Ecogeochemical Assessment of Soil Cover of the Ufa City, Bashkortostan

Soils of Ufa city were previously under-investigated in terms of chemical pollution and anthropogenic impacts. This study shows the different trends of soil chemical transformation under different functional load (industrial zone, parks and natural environments). Anthropogenic transformed Umbric Luvisols and Albeluvisols were studied in terms of basic chemical properties and trace elements content. Data show that oil pollution results in an accumulation of carbon and nitrogen. However, this accumulation does not correspond to real humus accumulation, but to the accumulation of black-carbon-like fractions. Redistribution of trace elements over depth is typical for the contaminated soils. Zinc concentrations do not exceed the permissible values, but the trends of zinc migration down the soil profile are evident. Lead concentrations increase in contaminated soils, but permissible concentrations are not exceeded. Urban soil contamination leads not only to the accumulation of contaminants in the upper soil horizons, but also to the redistribution of some trace elements in the soil profile.