MOBILITY OF LEAD IN SOILS POLLUTED BY NON-FERROUS METALLURGICAL PLANT IN NORTHWESTERN ROMANIA

The soil contamination with Pb and the Pb mobility in soils near a non-ferrous metallurgical plant in Baia-Mare town, a well-known region for its high level of environmental pollution, were studied using the Community Bureau of References (BCR) Sequential Extraction Procedure. The results indicated a high concentration of the total Pb content, which exceeded the alert thresholds in all samples and the intervention thresholds in more than a half of the samples, according to the Romanian legislation for less sensitive soil uses. About 24% of the total Pb content was found to be in mobile forms and about 48% in mobilizable forms, indicating that, despite the suspending of ore processing activities, a significant soil contamination with mobile Pb fractions still exists. These mobile and mobilizable fractions represent a potential threat to the environment and to human population living around the plant. About 11% of the total Pb content was found in the residual fraction, considered to be immobile and not posing significant risk for the environment.