Does the Function of Railway Infrastructure Determine Qualitative and Quantitative Composition of Contaminants (PAHs, Heavy Metals) in Soil and Plant Biomass?

Mętrak, Monika; Chmielewska, Monika; Sudnik-Wójcikowska, Barbara; Wiłkomirski, Bogusław; Staszewski, Tomasz; Suska-Malawska, Małgorzata

Does the Function of Railway Infrastructure Determine Qualitative and Quantitative Composition of Contaminants (PAHs, Heavy Metals) in Soil and Plant Biomass?

2015

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals are the two most important groups of pollutants associated with rail transport. Both have a serious negative impact on the natural environment, including human health and degradation of sensitive ecosystems. In our study, apart from qualitative and quantitative analysis of the main PAHs and heavy metals associated with rail, we tried to assess composition of specific compounds related to functional areas of railway infrastructure and to distinguish potential chemical markers which can be used for identification of pollution. Moreover, we evaluated the applicability of plants overgrowing railway infrastructure as bioindicators of rail-associated pollution. Though we confirmed that high amounts of PAHs and heavy metals in soil are characteristic for intensively used railway infrastructure, we found no typical pollution profiles for the differently used areas (i.e. platforms, sidings, cleaning bays). The major source of these contaminants is petroleum products used in conservation of railway infrastructure and rolling stock. As far as the use of plants overgrowing railway infrastructure as bioindicators of rail-associated pollution is concerned, it is rather limited, due to frequent application of herbicides for security and track stability reasons.

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