Contamination of soils with heavy metals in region of Łódź

The aim of this work was to determine contents of cadmium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc in soils of 5 poviats in Łódzkie Voivodeship (Poviats: Łódź, Brzeziny, East Łódź, Pabianice and Zgierz). The objects of the investigation were over 500 samples of soils collected from cultivated fields, meadows, fallows and urban areas (lawns and city parks). The concentration of elements in all samples was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry after extraction with 1 mol/dm3 HC1 solution. The highest contents of heavy metals were detected in the City of Łódź area. The amounts of leachable metals in the samples under study were within the ranges: 0.3 - 48.4 ppm Cu, 1.7 - 162.9 ppm Pb; 0.9 - 357.6 ppm Zn; below 2.1 ppm Cd and below 7.6 ppm Ni.