Assessment of the content of heavy metals in plants and soil in the Trzebinia municipality, Poland. 4. Copper

The activity of steel and chemical industries, fertilizers and the development of transport mean that heavy metals (copper) in toxic quantities directly affect the condition of soil and natural ecosystems occurring in nature. The study concerned aimed at the assessment of the copper content in the soil samples and plant material from the area of the municipality of Trzebinia where the problem of the presence of toxic heavy metals in soils is long-term and is the result of anthropogenic human impact on the environment. 83 research areas were designated from which the plant material and soil samples were taken from the levels of 0-20 cm and of 20-40 cm. The copper content in the soil was determined by applying the FAA Method. Additionally, in the soil samples the following were marked: granulometric composition, soil reaction in 1M KCl and in water, electrolytic conductivity and organic matter content. The content of the aforementioned element in the plant material was evaluated by applying the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The conducted research did not reveal any copper contamination of the soil in the municipality of Trzebinia (Journal of Laws 2002).The plant material did not exceed any IUNG standards of the content/of copper in the animal feed. No correlation was found between the copper content in the top layer of the soil and the content of the metal in plants.