Abstract :

Soil Reference Values (SRV) for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are of utmost importance for the first tier of risk assessment of contaminated sites. The Portuguese Environmental Agency has recently proposed SRV for soil, based on their used, but the type of soil was not taken into account. However, and giving the role of soil properties on the mobility and bioavailability of contaminants it is widely recognized that SRV should be defined for different types of natural soils, or at least, they should allow readjustments based in the content of organic matter and clay of the target soil. In this context, to refine the ability of predicting the risks of contaminants affecting the soils, nearby the Estarreja Chemical Complex (ECC), this project aims to derive SRV for the main PTEs of concern in the area (As, Pb and Cu), by using a reference regosol, which is the particular type of soil that can be found in the area. This reference regosol will be the deliverable that will increase the afterlife duration of the project, as it will be useful for the future derivation of SRV for other PTEs, including organic contaminants.