THE LEVEL OF SOIL CONTAMINATION WITH HEAVY METALS IN THE TERRITORY OF THE BALKHASH MINING AND METALLURGICAL COMBINE

Abstract

Contamination of soil covered with heavy metals in places where industrial centers are concentrated is an urgent problem for many countries, including Kazakhstan. The main sources of heavy metal elements in the soil are metallurgical production, and heavy metal contamination of the soil around the metallurgical enterprise threatens human health and causes various pathologies in the development of living organisms. As a result of migration processes, toxicants in the soil enter the surface and underground waters. In this study, the environmental condition of soil contaminated with heavy metals in the territory of the metallurgical enterprise of Central Kazakhstan "Kazakhmys" Industrial Union (Balkash Mining and Metallurgical Combine) was evaluated. The soil cover in the industrial territory of Central Kazakhstan was found to be contaminated with different concentrations of heavy metals. Eleven heavy metals were detected in the soil samples, and the following heavy metals were found in dissolved form: TiO₂, MnO, and Fe₂O₃. It is known that the concentration of the heavy metals Pb, Zn, Cu, and Sr in the obtained soil samples is significantly higher. It was established that the concentration of heavy metals increases in the following order: Pb>Zn>Cu>Sr>Cr>As>V>Ni>Cd>Co>Hg. Three points, №1, №2, and №5, were identified with the highest levels of pollution. The highest concentration of lead was 901.1±0.05 mg/kg (p<0.05), the highest concentration of zinc was 647.3±0.05 mg/kg (p<0.05), the high concentration of copper was 376.3±0.05 mg/kg (p<0.05), and the highest concentration of strontium was 432.6±0.05 mg/kg (p<0.05). This study provides a comprehensive assessment of soil cover contamination with heavy metals in areas where industrial centers are concentrated, while also suggesting the adoption of topical solutions for pollution reduction and environmental management.