Abstract
The city of Oslo is situated centrally in the Oslo-graben, which is a Permian rift basin consisting of different kinds of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. In the summer of 1998, approximately 300 samples of surface soil (2–3 cm) were taken systematically, 1 km−2. The investigated area covers about 500 km2. Samples were dissolved in 7 M HNO3 and analysed for 29 elements with ICP-AES, mercury with cold-vapour technique (CV-AAS) and arsenic and cadmium with a graphite furnace (GF-AAS). A factor analysis is frequently used to identify relationships among sets of interrelated variables. To describe the covariant relationships among the elements, a factor analysis has been completed. The first factor contains the elements Sc, Fe, Li, Co, Al, Cr, Be, K, Ni, V, Mg, Y, Ba, Zr, Mn and As (listed with decreasing communality). These elements are typical for the minerals in the area and most of these elements have a near normal distribution. Sources for this factor are probably geological. The second factor contains Cd, Hg, P, Zn, Cu, Ba and Pb. They have a log-normal distribution. Road traffic is probably one of the sources contributing to this factor. In Norway studded tyres are used frequently in the winter season which results in large amounts of road dust. Leaded petrol has been a major source for Pb but is not in use any more. Wear and tear of tyres and brakes contribute also to this factor. Other sources contributing to this factor are probably industry, rubbish incineration, crematoria and release of some of these elements from structural material by fire. Factors 3, 4 and 6 with elements such as Ca, Na, La, Ti and Sr probably have geological sources. They are associated with minerals like amphiboles, pyroxenes and feldspars and some of the elements are from sea aerosols. Factor 5 contains Mn, Cd, Zn, As and Pb. Manganese may be derived from many different sources such as rock weathering, windblown dust, agriculture and traffic. Since As and Mn are placed in both factor 1 and 5 they probably have both geological and anthropogenic sources. Concentrations of the elements in the second factor are much higher in the central parts of Oslo, than in the rest of Oslo. The median value of Hg in the centre is 0.48 mg kg−1, which is 8 times higher than that in the rest of the city. Also, the other elements have much higher levels in the centre. The industrial district north-east of the centre also has high values. The distribution of arsenic is regular throughout the whole city, but has a slightly higher level in the centre. Norm values for contaminated land used by the Norwegian authorities are 2 mg As kg−1 and 25 mg Cr kg−1. Of 297 samples, 61% contain more than 25 mg Cr kg−1 and 79% more than 3 mg As kg−1, which is the detection limit of the analysis. These samples will therefore be regarded as contaminated. Factor analysis places these elements in the geological factor. The Norm value of zinc is 150 mg kg−1, and 40% of the samples contain more than this. The Norm value of lead is 150 mg kg−1, and 35% of the samples contain. Road traffic is probably the major source for these elements.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adriano, D.C.: 1986, Trace Elements in the Terrestrial Environment, Springer-Verlag, New York.
Berthelsen, A. and Sundvoll, B.: 1996, Beskrivelse til geologisk kart over Norge - 1: 250000, Oslo, Norges geologiske undersøkelse, Trondheim, Norway.
Bjørtomt, A., Christiansen, J.V. and Maldum, K.O.: 1992, Materialstrømanalyse av Bly, SFT, Rapport 92: 07, Oslo, 64 pp. (in Norwegian).
Bølviken, B., Ekremsæter, J., Ottesen, R.T. and Volden, T.: 1983, Reproduserbarhet av geokjemiske bekkesediment-data, NGU, Offprint NGU 388, Univercitetsforlaget, Trondheim, Norway, 8 pp. (in Norwegian).
Dons, J.A.: 1977, Geologisk fører for Oslo-trakten, Universiteitsforlaget, Oslo-Bergen-Tromsø, 173 pp. (in Norwegian).
Fairbrigde, R.W.: 1972, The Encyclopedia of Geochemistry and Environmental Sciences, Vol. IVa, van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1321 pp.
Follestad, B.: 1997, Personal Comment, Norges Geologiske Undersøkelse, Trondheim, Norway.
Friberg, L.T., Piscator, M., Nordberg, G.F. and Kjelström, T.: 1974, Cadmium in the Environment, 2nd edn, CRC Press, Cleveland, Ohio, 248 pp.
Friberg, L.T., Nordberg, G.F. and Vouk, V.B.: 1986, Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, Vol. I and II, 2nd edn, Elsevier, Amsterdam, New York, Oxford.
George, D. and Mallery, P.: 1999, SPSS for Windows Step by Step. A simple Guide and Reference, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 359 pp.
Goldschmidt, V.M.: 1954, Geochemistry, Oxford University Press, Amen House, London E.C.4, 730 pp.
Henningsmoen, G.: 1978: The Oslo Paleorift, A Review and Guide to Excursions, NGU, Nr. 337, Bulletin 45, Sedimentary Rocks Associated with the Oslo Region Lavas, pp. 17–24.
Johnson, R.A. and Wichern, D.W.: 1998, Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis, 4th edn, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, USA, 816 pp.
McGrath, S.P.: 1987, Pollutant Transport and Fate in Ecosystem, Special Publication No. 6 of the British Ecology Society, Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, pp. 307–317.
McGrath, S.P.: 1995, Heavy Metals in Soils, Blackie Academic and Professional, Glasgow, UK, 152, 368 pp.
Merian, E.: 1984, Metalle in der Umwelt, Verteilung, Analytik und Biologische Relevanz, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, Germany, 722 pp. (in German).
Neumann, E.R.: 1979, Petrology of the Larvikites and Associated Rocks in the Permian Oslo Rift, PhD Thesis, University of Oslo.
NGU: 1998, Analyse Rapport 1998.0221, Project No. 280200, Norges geologiske undersøkelse, Trondheim, Norway, 31 pp.
Norwegian Standards Association (NSF): 1994, Water Analysis - Determination of Metals by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, Atomisation in Flame - General Principles and Guidelines NS 4770, 2nd edn.
Ottesen, R.T., Almklov, P.G. and Tijhuis, L.: 1995, Innhold av Tungmetaller og Organiske miljøgifter i Overflatejord fra Trondheim, Rapport Nr. TM 95/06, Environmental Department of Trondheim, 130 pp. (in Norwegian).
Ottesen, R.T. and Volden, T.: 1999, Jordforurensning i Bergen, NGU Rapport 99.022, Trondheim, 27 pp. (in Norwegian).
Pedersen, P.A.: 1990, Roadside Pollution and Vegetation, Norges landbrukshøgskole, NLH, Ås, Norway, 106 pp.
Reimann, C. and de Caritat, P.: 1998, Chemical Elements in the Environment, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 398 pp.
SFT: 1995, Håndtering av grunnforurensningsaker, Statens forurensningstilsyn SFT, Rapport 95:09, Oslo, 54 pp. (in Norwegian).
Steinnes, E., Røyset, O., Vadset, M. and Johansen, O.: 1993, Atmosfærisk nedfall av tungmetaller i Norge - landsomfattende undersøkelse i 1990, Statens forurensningstilsyn SFT, Rapport 523/93, Oslo, 36 pp. (in Norwegian).
Steinnes, E., Andersson, E.M. and Jakobsen, E.: 1995, Atmosfærisk nedfall av kvikksølv i Norge, Statens forurensningstilsyn SFT, Rapport 627/95, Oslo, 14 pp. (in Norwegian).
Tijhuis, L., 1996: Innhold av tungmetaller i overflatejord fra Trondheim, Chemical institute, NTNU, Trondheim, 179 pp. (in Norwegian).
Vogt., J.H.L.: 1923, Nickel in igneous rocks, Economic Geology, vol. 18. The economic geology publishing company, New Haven, Connecticut, 307–353.
VROM: 1994, Circular on Intervention Values for Contaminated Land, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Directorate for Environmental Quality and Emissions Policy, Soil Department/IPC 625, 25 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tijhuis, L., Brattli, B. & Sæther, O. A Geochemical Survey of Topsoil in the City of Oslo, Norway. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 24, 67–94 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013979700212
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013979700212