Baseline values for heavy metals in soils on Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen Island, Arctic: the extent of anthropogenic pollution

Heavy metal contents (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Pb) have been measured in 40 surface soils on Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen Island, Arctic, which were in concentrations (in milligrams kilogram(-1)) of 13.3-127 (Cr), 1.72-38.8 (Ni), 7.84-47.3 (Cu), 26.5-123 (Zn), 2.17-9.22 (As), 0-2.4 (Cd), 0.21-0.38 (Hg), 0-129 (Pb). Relative cumulative sums analysis and relative cumulative frequency analysis were used to determine the baseline values for the 8 metals, yielding values of Cr(24.7 mg/kg), Ni (6.24 mg/kg), Cu(11.5 mg/kg), Zn (77.3 mg/kg), As (2.60 mg/kg), Hg (0.27 mg/kg), Pb (4.38mg/kg). Geo-accumulation index method was applied in order to determine the extent of anthropogenic contamination. Principal component analysis was put into use aiming to identify the sources of these heavy metals. The results showed that Pb, Cr, Cd and Hg have been significantly elevated in concentration by human activities.