title: Metal accumulation in roadside soil in Melbourne, Australia: Effect of road age, traffic density and vehicular speed.
abstract: Concentrations of vehicular emitted heavy metals in roadside soils result in long term environmental damage. This study assessed the relationships between traffic characteristics (traffic density, road age and vehicular speed) and roadside soil heavy metals. Significant levels were recorded for Cd (0.06-0.59 mg/kg), Cr (18-29 mg/kg), Cu (4-12 mg/kg), Ni (7-20 mg/kg), Mn (92-599 mg/kg), Pb (16-144 mg/kg) and Zn (10.36-88.75 mg/kg), with Mn concentrations exceeding the Ecological Investigation Level. Significant correlations were found between roadside soil metal concentration and vehicular speed (R = 0.90), road age (R = 0.82) and traffic density (R = 0.68). Recently introduced metals in automotive technology (e.g. Mn and Sb) were higher in younger roads, while the metals present for many years (e.g. Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) were higher in medium and old age roads confirming the risk of significant metal deposition and soil metal retention in roadside soils.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne 3001, Australia; Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, RMIT University, Melbourne 3001, Australia. Electronic address: shamali.desilva@rmit.edu.au.
authors.forename: Shamali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Silva
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne 3001, Australia; Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, RMIT University, Melbourne 3001, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Mineral Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Trang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.affiliation: School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne 3001, Australia; Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, RMIT University, Melbourne 3001, Australia.
authors.forename: Suzie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Reichman
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014186:Transportation; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
keywords: Road age; Roadside soil; Traffic; Vehicular emissions; Vehicular speed