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Original Articles

Spatial distribution of heavy metals released from ashes after a wildfire

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Pages 13-22 | Received 07 Jun 2009, Accepted 05 Nov 2009, Published online: 14 Oct 2010
 

Abstract

Heavy Metals (HM) in great amounts in soil and water resources can cause coercive effects in the environment and human health. Ash contains high quantities of HM that depend on combusted species, type and part burned and soil characteristics. After a fire, the HM released from ash can lead to a soil solution and water resources contamination. This liberation of HM in solution can be highly variable across the affected area. This work pretends to study the spatial variation of the HM ‐ Aluminium (Al3+), Manganese (Mn2+), Iron (Fe2+) and Zinc (Zn2+) ‐ in a Quercus suber and Pinus pinaster stand affected by a wildfire in Portugal, applying some interpolation methods. The results showed that on average across the plot, Al3+ was the HM released in higher quantities and Zn2+ in lower. The higher variability was observed in Zn2+ and in Fe2+. The interpolation methods assessed showed that polynomial regression (PR) method was the more accurate to predict the distribution of the HM across the plot. Al3+ and Mn2+ showed a rise in their concentration from south towards north section of the plot, and Fe2+ and Zn2+ a decrease from northwest to southeast section of the plot. The liberation of Al3+ and Mn2+ is related with species burning severity, and Fe2+ and Zn2+ with plot topography. The fire evolution across the plot and the consequent rising temperatures can have higher impacts than burned species in HM spatial variability. Over time, with the decreasing ash pH, HM will become more mobile and will be released in soil solution, with potential coercive effects in the environment.

Santrauka

Dideles sunkiuju metalu (SM) koncentracijos dirvožemyje ir vandenyje gali sukelti pavoju aplinkai ir žmogaus sveikatai. Pelenuose aptinkamos dideles SM koncentracijos, kurios priklauso nuo sudegusio medžio rūšies, tipo, sudegusios medžio dalies ir dirvožemio savybiu. Po gaisro iš pelenu pasišalinantys SM patenka i dirvožemio tirpala ir gali sukelti vandens ištekliu tarša. SM išsiskyrimas iš pelenu teritorijos plote gali kisti. Darbe taikant interpoliacinius metodus tiriama SM — aliuminio (Al3+), mangano (Mn2+), geležies (Fe2+) ir cinko (Zn2+) ‐ pasiskirstymas teritorijoje po Quercus suber ir Pinus pinaster miško gaisro Portugalijoje. Iš rezultatu matyti, kad nagrinejamoje teritorijoje vidutiniškai didžiausios koncentracijos pasiskirste Al3+, o mažiausios ‐ Zn2+. Didžiausi koncentraciju pokyčiai buvo būdingi Zn2+ ir Fe2+. Iš taikytu interpo‐liaciniu metodu, prognozuojant SM pasiskirstyma teritorijoje, tikslesnis buvo polinomines regresijos metodas. Al3+ ir Mn2+ koncentraciju padidejimas nustatytas iš pietines teritorijos dalies šiaurinCs link, o Fe2+ ir Zn2+ ‐ sumažejimas iš šiaures vakaru dalies pietrytines teritorijos dalies link. Al3+ ir Mn2+ išsiskyrimas iš pelenu priklause nuo gaisro intensyvumo, o Fe2+ ir Zn2+ ‐ nuo teritorijos topografijos. Gaisro intensyvumo pokyčiai teritorijoje ir su tuo susijes temperatūros kilimas gali tureti didesnes itakos SM pasiskirstymui teritorijoje negu sudegusiu medžiu rūšys. Laikui begant ir kintant pelenu pH, SM tampa judresni, tad gali patekti i dirvožemio tirpala, sukelti pavoju aplinkai.

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