Soil Contamination in Gartlage Area, Germany

Year 2017, Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 180 - 185, 30.06.2017

Zeynep Cansu Ayturan Sukru Dursun

Abstract

Gartlage is the second smallest district of Osnabrück Germany. It is in
direct vicinity to the city centre. There is a big wire and metal production
factory (KME) in the area and the factory have been in operation since
1873.  Main products are rolled copper
and copper alloys, copper tubes, copper & brass rods and special products
for the steel industry. The main strategy of KME factory for copper production
is focusing on recycling of the products. Especially products made by copper
are recycled back after main usage at homes, cars, computers and windmills with
the help of scarp dealers. Although copper is recyclable and productive
material, the wastes produced during the manufacturing process of copper may be
harmful for environment and human kind. Smelting and refining operations are
two mostly used copper manufacturing processes. Both may lead to different
kinds of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, flotation
wastewaters, uncontrolled leachate, slurry sludge and slag. In this study,
heavy metal pollution in Gartlage area of Germany was investigated. Several
samples were taken from the area around KME factory and heavy metal analyses
(copper and lead) were performed on these samples. Moreover, after the
analyses, concentrations of copper and lead were compared with values in
Federal Soil Protection Act. Thus, heavy metal pollution in the area was
detected.

Keywords

heavy metals, soil, contamination, copper, lead

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