The content of mobile forms of Cd and Pb in agricultural soils and standardization of their pollution

The assessment of soil contamination with mobile forms of Cd and Pb in agricultural lands is due to the need to introduce regional standards based on the principles of the limiting baseline (ULBL). The dependence of their content on the particle size distribution of soils is shown (1113 observations). The use of cluster analysis made it possible to establish the limits of background content of mobile Pb for loams (less than 5.53 ± 0.08 mg/kg). Clusters contaminated with mobile Pb have significantly higher contents of organic carbon (%), mobile phosphorus and potassium, pH_KCl. The threshold content of mobile lead (ULBL) is 11.5 mg/kg. It is higher than the maximum allowable concentration (6 mg/kg) and reflects the permissible anthropogenic impact. Exceeding the Pb threshold was noted on 6% of soils in the studied area. They are located across the northern, central, and southern regions of the Leningrad Region. The background value of available Cd is less than 0.05 and no more than 0.08, and the maximum threshold value for available Cd is 0.16 mg/kg (ULBL). Cd-contaminated soils exceeding the ULBL are distributed from north to south relative to the regional center and cover 6.2% of the total area. An increase in generalized land quality indicators, such as the cultivation index and the complex agrochemical indicator, is demonstrated with a transition from background values of Pb and Cd beyond the ULBL. In the case of fallow lands, an increase in the spread of Pb values and a significant increase in Cd relative to arable lands was observed.  

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