INAA-XRF multielemental study of soils surrounding the steel industry and contamination assessment

Instrumental neutron activation analysis and X-ray fluorescence techniques were used for the quantification of 43 elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, Cl, K, Ca,Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm,Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Hf, Lu, Ta, W, Au, Th, U, Cu, Pb, Sn) in soils in the immediate vicinity of the iron and steel works at Galati, SE Romania. The spatial distribution patterns and multielement contamination risk indices indicate enrichment with toxic and harmful elements of soil collected from the sites close to the slag dump, blast furnaces, steel and milling plants and agglomeration and sintering factories. Proximity to industrial premises/emitters led to a higher zonal pollution load index due to technogenic metals than the regional value recorded in the case of more distant locations.