Spatial Distribution and Pollution Level of Heavy Metals in Street Dust of the City of Suwałki (Poland)

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Mar 7;20(6):4687. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20064687.

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the content and spatial distribution of heavy metals (HM) in street dust in Suwałki, a city located in northeastern Poland. The HM content of street dust was also evaluated using the geochemical index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), and contamination factor (CF), and local HM sources were identified using chemometric methods. The arithmetic averages of HM contents in dust arranged in the following order: Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Pb, were 11,692.80, 215.97, 194.78, 142.84, 63.59, 17.50, 17.04 mg∙kg-1, respectively. Higher values than the local background occurred for Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb. The values of Igeo, CF, and EF indicate that the highest pollution in dust is due to Zn and Cu. The spatial distribution of metals was evaluated using maps of HM content in road dust samples from Suwałki. The spatial distribution of HM showed areas with high contents of Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb located mainly in the central and eastern parts of the city. In these areas, high traffic volume, the presence of shopping centers, administrative buildings and bus stops dominate. Statistical models of multivariate analysis (FA) and cluster analysis (CA) identified two sources of HM. The first source of pollution was associated with local industrial activity and motor vehicle travel, and the second with natural sources.

Keywords: environmental studies; heavy metals; pollution assessment; pollution source identification; spatial distribution; street dust.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Cities
  • Dust* / analysis
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Lead / analysis
  • Metals, Heavy* / analysis
  • Poland
  • Risk Assessment

Substances

  • Dust
  • Lead
  • Metals, Heavy

Grants and funding

This research was funded by and was carried out within the framework of research task No. WZ/WBiIŚ/2/2021 at Bialystok University of Technology and financed by a grant awarded by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. The printing of the article was financed from the ZIREG project—Integrated Program of the Bialystok University of Technology for Regional Development, contract No. POWR.03.05.00-00-ZR22/18. The project was co-financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund under the Knowledge Education Development Operational Program 2014–2020.