METAL PROCESSING ENTERPRISES AS THE MAIN THREAT TO ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN PANEVEŽYS

Abstract

The purpose o f the article was to demonstrate the threat of metal processing to urban environmental quality and to reveal the peculiarities o f this kind o f pollution. Geochemical data o f topsoil mapping in Panevezys were used for this aim. There has been analysed the input of 16 enterprises involved in this activity to pollution o f Panevezys by Cu, Zn, Pb, Sn, Mo, Ni, Mn, Cr, Ag, Co, as well as Ba, Sr, As, P, U, B, Ga, Ti, V, Zr, Y, Sc. The content o f most elements was determined by DC Arc ES in topsoil fraction <1 mm after mineralisation at 450°C, while Sr, As, U - by XRF. In many analysed objects W was detected by DC Arc ES, in some o f them - also more rare pollutants: Ce, Cd, Sb and elevated content of La and Y (TV-tubes plant “Ekranas ”), Bi (Precise mechanics plant). According to total contamination indices these objects were compared among themselves, as well as with enterprises of other type production. Accumulation and good correlation of Cu, Zn, Pb, Sn, Mo, Ni, Mn, Cr, Ag, Co caused many problems in classification of the enterprises. It can be done according to object pollution codes or maximum pollutant.