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Spatial and temporal variability of Cadmium and Lead in Urban Soils of Thessaloniki (northern Greece).
Summary
This study monitored cadmium and lead contamination in urban soils of Thessaloniki, Greece over two years, finding variable heavy metal levels linked to traffic and industrial activity. Heavy metals and microplastics frequently co-occur in urban environments and can interact to increase combined toxicity.
In this study, an investigation was carried out to record, document and monitoring the pollution caused by heavy metals in soil surface soils in the urban fabric of the city of Thessaloniki. During the years 2021 & 2022, surface soil samples were collected in the spring and autumn of each year. Soil and chemical analyses were conducted to determine the physicochemical properties of soil samples. The available and pseudo-total concentration of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) was determined and the mean values for the two years of the study were calculated. Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), thematic maps were built in order to study the spatial and temporal distribution of each metal. The statistical tools used should provide useful guidance for pollution surveillance and identification of potential sources of pollution in the study area.
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