Contents and spatial distributions of chemical elements in soil at the ancient roasting site P enk (Idrija area, Slovenia)

Analysis for 35 chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na,Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Zn) was performed in soil and SOM (soil organic matter; 0–5 cm) at theancient roasting site P{enk in the surroundings of Idrija, which is highly contaminated with Hg. It was estimatedthat natural values of Al, Ba, Fe, K, Mn, Ni and Zn show normal distribution, while for the elements As, Au, Bi, Ca,Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, La, Mg, Mo, P, Pb, Sc, Se, Sr, Th, Tl, U in V the logarithms of elemental contents were considerednormally distributed. Contents of the analyzed elements in the sampling material are mostly within the normalvalues for soils as also within Slovenian and European averages for soil. High contents of As were determined insoils from investigated roasting site, reaching as much as 122 mg/kg in the depth of 5–20 cm. Additionally Cd, Mo,Pb and U contents in the soil (5–20 cm) are higher compared to natural soils. Cd and Mo show somewhat increasedcontents also in SOM from studied roasting site.