Contents of heavy alkaline-earth (Sr,Ba) and rare-earth (Y,La, Ce) metals in technogenically contaminated soils

The contents of heavy alkaline-earth (Sr and Ba) and rare-earth (Y, La, and Ce) metals have been studied in two technogeochemical anomalies and in the soils of Perm and Chusovoi. The soils are contaminated with barium, lanthanum, and cerium in the territory of the Cherepovets technogeochemical anomaly formed due to the atmospheric emissions from the Severstal metallurgical works. Strontium, barium, and yttrium are accumulated in the soils of the Revda technogeochemical anomaly formed by aerial emissions from the Mid-Urals copper smelter. The portion of technogenic strontium reaches 43–84% near the metallurgical works, while that of barium and yttrium, 47–63 and 28–32%, respectively. In Perm, the urban soils are polluted with technogenic alkaline-earth metals, i.e., strontium and barium, with their content reaching 31–48%. In Chusovoi, the calcareous horizons of the soddy soils are enriched in strontium and depleted in barium. The eluvial-illuvial distribution of the rare-earth metals is registered in the soddy-podzolic soil. The soils of the terrace are contaminated with barium. The technozem is contaminated with all the metals (barium and yttrium, in particular).