Estimation of the content of trace metals in Ukrainian  military-affected soils

Oksana DATSKO; Olena MELNYK; Ihor KOVALENKO; Andrii BUTENKO; Elina ZAKHARCHENKO; Volodymyr ILCHENKO; Viktor ONYCHKO; Maksym SOLOKHA

doi:10.15835/nbha53114328

Authors

Oksana DATSKO Sumy National Agrarian University, Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management, 160 H. Kondratieva str, 40021, Sumy (UA)
Olena MELNYK Sumy National Agrarian University, Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management, 160 H. Kondratieva str, 40021, Sumy; Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Länggasse 85, 3052 Zollikofen (UA)
Ihor KOVALENKO Sumy National Agrarian University, Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management, 160 H. Kondratieva str, 40021, Sumy (UA)
Andrii BUTENKO Sumy National Agrarian University, Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management, 160 H. Kondratieva str, 40021, Sumy (UA)
Elina ZAKHARCHENKO Sumy National Agrarian University, Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management, 160 H. Kondratieva str, 40021, Sumy (UA)
Volodymyr ILCHENKO Sumy National Agrarian University, Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management, 160 H. Kondratieva str, 40021, Sumy (UA)
Viktor ONYCHKO Sumy National Agrarian University, Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management, 160 H. Kondratieva str, 40021, Sumy (UA)
Maksym SOLOKHA National Scientific Center “Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research Named after O.N. Sokolovsky”, Chaykovska str., 4, 61024, Kharkiv (UA)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha53114328

Keywords:

contamination, heavy metals, pXRF, reclamation, soil

Abstract

The study assessed the impact of military activities on Ukraine's soil resources, particularly heavy metal contamination. As a primary resource for agricultural production, soil undergoes significant influence from military activities, posing environmental challenges for the rational use of land. Special attention was paid to evaluating the content of chemical elements in combat zones. The research methodology included soil sampling from ten locations in the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions. Samples were collected from craters, slopes, and control areas located 20 meters away. The analysis was performed using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer (pXRF), enabling the determination of 27 chemical elements. The results showed significant variability in the concentrations of heavy metals such as barium, zirconium, manganese, strontium, rubidium, and zinc. In many cases, the concentration of metals in crater samples was lower or comparable to control areas, indicating the influence of local anthropogenic factors, such as the application of mineral fertilizers, but not always military actions. This indicates that while military activities contribute to environmental disruption, non-military factors also play a role in shaping soil composition. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to land restoration should consider both the direct impacts of military actions and broader environmental influences, with strategies tailored to the specific conditions of each affected region.

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