Trace elements status in the terrain of an impounded vehicle scrapyard

Abstract

The impact of a scrapyard of impounded vehicles in Sa˜o Paulo state on topsoil was evaluated for As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn and rare earth elements (REEs). Mass fractions of all elements, except for Co, Cu, Mo and Zn, were higher than reference values. Hot spots were observed for most elements suggesting vehicular source. The geoaccumulation index showed moderate pollution of As. The enrichment factor pointed to a significant enrichment of As, Mo and Pb. The normalization of REEs to Earth’s crust values indicated a positive anomaly of Ce. The results indicate a potential risk to the soil quality of the scrapyard.