Are military activities on the Molotov Line during WWII still detectable in the chemical record of soils in Roztocze (SE Poland)?
Description
The aim of this paper was to investigate the extent of heavy metal contamination of soils in areas adjacent to the bunkers of the Molotov Line in Roztocze (SE Poland) and to assess reclamation activities on the extent of heavy metal contamination of soils. Soil samples of bunkers with varying degrees of war damage were analysed to determine heavy metal concentrations. Surface (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-40 cm) soil samples were collected at 4 transects and distances from the bunkers. Heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, Bi) and pH, texture, TOC, CEC were determined in the investigated soils. Several indicators of contamination were used to analyse the degree of contamination: PI, CD, RI, TB index. The conducted research has revealed that soils subjected to military pressure exhibit different properties from natural soils. The heavy metal content in the 0-20 cm soil layers was several times higher than the geochemical background. This indicates that despite remediation efforts (plowing and afforestation), there exists a clear geochemical record of military activities along the Molotov Line in SE Poland. Thanks to the contamination indices used in the study, it was found that soils affected by past wartime activities may pose a real threat to health. The regularities presented in the paper can provide a basis for action regarding the direction of remediation activities for areas with sensitive uses, such as military training grounds. The results presented here allow us to conclude that despite the remediation activities undertaken (plowing and afforestation), there is a clear geochemical record of military activities on the Molotov Line in SE Poland.