Case Study On The Relationships Between Soil Contents Of Some Harmful Chemical Elements Determined By Different Equipment

Comparison of total contents of Ba, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sn, Pb, V, Zn, Al, Ca, Fe, Mg determined in topsoil of central part of Vilnius by optical atomic emission spectrophotometry (OAES) with respective contents determined by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), analysis of their correlation and linear relationship with and without outliers are the tasks of research. For most elements, except Ca, Sn, Ba, the contents determined by EDXRF are significantly lower and less variable. They can be predicted according to OAES-contents using linear equations. After elimination of outliers for all elements the correlation is significant at p0.05

CHANGES OF ECOLOGICAL-GEOCHEMICAL STATE OF TOPSOIL AND RIVER SEDIMENTS IN VILNIUS

The changes of environmental quality were revealed according to temporal differences of additive contamination indices calculated for topsoil and sediments of N eris and V okė r ivers i n V ilnius. T opsoil contamination indices were calculated on the basis of Ag, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V and Zn contents for 2 different periods (1985 and 1996-2002) and their comparison was realised on 237.86 sq. km territory of the first sampling. The areas, where topsoil ecological-geochemical state has worsened have been determined. Part of them with unallowable topsoil pollution level indicates the quarters, where population health risk increase is possible. Monitoring is necessary there, also health protection measures. The tendency of improvement of ecologicalgeochemical state of river sediments is observed, but potential sources of secondary pollution in sediments can be hazardous for downstream segments

VARIATION OF ACCUMULATING ASSOCIATIONS IN TOPSOIL OF THE OLDEST PART OF VILNIUS

The aim of research was to analyse and explain the variation of accumulating associations of 13 chemical elements Ag, B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, Zn in topsoil of the oldest part of Vilnius. These elements characterise soil quality and are included in the check list of hygienic norm HN 60- 2004 of Lithuania. According to adjusted accumulating associations ordinary and unusual associations have been distinguished and distribution of the types or unusual associations has been analysed. They are often near present or former industrial sites, railway or streets with intensive traffic

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TILE GLAZE AS POTENTIAL SOURCE OF SOIL CONTAMINATION

The paper deals with the chemical composition of coloured glaze of 16 tiles from restored furnace of Biržai castle. It demonstrates that glaze is enriched with different elements compared to soil and therefore can be one of the multiple contamination sources of soil, especially in the old urban quarters. High variability of element contents in glaze is predetermined by its colour. However, Bi, Sb, Ag, Pb, Sn, Cu are elements-indicators of coloured glaze chemical composition. 1 g of coloured glaze added to 1 kg of soil causes at least medium level of local contamination

Soil Contamination in One of Preschools Influenced by Metal Working Industry

The aim of research was to estimate the present impact of drill plant or other pollution sources on soil anomalies of the preschool area and to reveal the depth of penetration of pollutants. Soil samples from 9 cores in the territory of the preschool were taken from 5 depth intervals: 0-0.5 m, 0.5-1.0 m, 1.0-1.5 m, 1.5-2.0 m and 2.0-3.0 m. Total number of samples was 45. Each sample was sieved to less then 2 mm fraction, milled and homogenised with binder before pressing 2 pellets. All pressed pellets were analysed by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence for determination of the contents of harmful chemical elements As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, Zn and major elements Al, Ca, K, Fe, Mg, Na, P, S. Si, Ti. Samples where maximum permitted concentrations of Mo, Pb, Sn are exceeded occur not only in the uppermost layers, but also in the deeper layers. The highest median contents of most harmful chemical elements, except V and As, are in the uppermost 0.0-0.5 m layer and decrease with depth until 2.0-3.0 m or 1.5-2.0 m. To eliminate the influence of soil clay content in different samples, normalisation of concentration coefficients by the median of Al, K and Ti concentration coefficients was used. The depth of penetration is largely influenced by lithological composition of soil and is much deeper in sandy soil without layers enriched in clay

Variability of estimated contamination extent depending on calculation methods

The aim of research was to analyse the changes of contamination extent (E, %) estimated using two methods of background calculation by eliminating anomalies outside the interval mean±2s or median±2MAD (s is standard deviation, MAD is median absolute deviation) and optional normalisation. Two methods were used for estimation of background values (B) and upper threshold values (T) of Ag, As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, U, V, Zn and selected major elements according to their contents in topsoil samples from football fields in less contaminated districts of Klaipėda. Then two different sets of B and T values were applied to the whole geochemical data set. After determination of two sets of concentration coefficients (Kk), four sets of enrichment factors were calculated: two simple (EF1) (normalisation by Al) and two complex (EF3) (normalisation by Al, K, Ti).  Estimation of E using T values resulted in lower percentage compared to percentage of sites where Kk1, EF11 or EF31, because the latter 3 indices depend on B values. Since all T values obtained by median±2MAD method are much lower (by 6-37.1%) than by mean±2s method, respective E is much higher: for 11 pollutants it is higher by more than 5% (range 6.3-34.2%). Since the absolute difference between B values estimated by two methods is much lower (only for Sn and Mn exceeds 5%) than the difference between T values, the influence of different B values on estimated E is much lower. Higher than 5% absolute difference between two sets of E estimated according to Kk1 is observed for 5 pollutants, according to EF31 for 4 and according to EF11 only for 3 pollutants. So E estimated according to EF11 is least of all influenced by the method of determination of B values, besides, it usually gives the highest E

SKOMANTAI HILL-FORT IN WESTERN LITHUANIA: A CASE STUDY ON HABITATION SITE AND ENVIRONMENT

Hill-forts are visually distinct archaeological monuments of the Lithuanian landscape; despite excavations that have recently become more intensive, more often than not we still make judgments of hill-forts on the basis of their surviving image, which is assumed to reflect the final stage of their existence. Usually our knowledge about the size of the settlement at its foot, its planigraphy, and of course chronology, is too slender to make any conclusions. By employing complex non-destructive research methods (palynological, geochemical, lithological and geomagnetic analysis, as well as 14C and thermoluminescence dating), the article discusses the time of the rise and the abandonment of Skomantai hill-fort and settlements, the hierarchical relations with the hill-fort as an object forming the settlement structure of the neighbouring area, both settlements at the foot of the hill, and the surrounding burial grounds and monuments, all of which make up a micro-region. As the economic model of the community and the social structure of society changed, the relations between the hill-fort and the settlements changed, as did the purpose of the hill-fort.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/ab.v17i0.55 Key words: western Lithuania, Skomantai, hill-fort, settlements, micro-region, human activity, non-destructive research methods, 14C dating, thermoluminescence dating

Methods of identification of the production of bricknesses of the medieval Vilnius on the example of the bone of the St. Nicholas

The object of the research is St. Nicholas Church in Vilnius. The main goal of this article – to define the suplied possibilities to solve old brick walls dating and brick-making technological issues by adapting geochemical and transological-visual research methods. The old brick walls studies has a long tradition in Lithuania. The pionier of such studies was Marijanas Moleliovskis who formulated main research areas and issues for future generations during pre-war period. A scolar noted the changes of brick size and tie up methods during ages, that could help to determine chrological boundaries of old brick walls. Proportional-chronological regularities of the old bricks were used by many later scolars as well, almost exclusively architects. Using this method architects have determined chronological boundaries of St. Nicholas Church in the end of to the second half of 14th – 15th century. Meanwhile, other researchers’ positions on this issue are very different. Some historians attribute it to the Grand Dukes Vytenis and Gediminas period, i.e., junction of the 13th and 14th centuries. This position was confirmed by archeomagnetic bricks studies, which dated bricks 1297–1310. However, the major part of historians the foundation of brick church takes in the period between 1382 and 1413, relating it to Hanul, vicegerent of Vilnius. Solving St. Nicholas Church dating issue, the authors paid attention to a quality of bricks manufacturing technology and problems of determination of their characteristics. One of many determination of bricks characteristics ways is geochemical method. During the measurement of brick samples is obtained digital expressions of chemical elements and applied multivariate mathematical analysis which allows to create a hierarchical brick samples connection cluster analysis.Cluster analysis method let to highlight and group the samples according to similarity of chemical elements. Using this method was tried to find out, are bricks of St. Nicholas Church in their chemical composition similar and are they similar or different in comparison to the bricks of others Vilnius buildings in the 14th – 16th centuries. There are compared 5 bricks from St. Nicholas Church with 52 bricks of other buildings in Vilnius, dated from 1326 to 1526. They are: Franciscan Church of the St. Virgin Mary, early Cathedral and the Lower Castle. Cluster analysis shows that the oldest St. Nicholas bricks could be produced in the same brickyard, and their composition of chemical elements is very similar to the samples taken from the Franciscans Church and from the northern gate tower of Lower Castle. However, it should be emphasized that cluster analysis has some methodological gaps. We mean those cases when bricks are comparing taken from different objects. It should be taken into account the fact that the bricks used in the production of raw clay has been mined from the various places. Therefore, in the future, using a multi-elemental analysis methods (KA or PKA), it is necessary to carry out chemical tests of such mining places. This would allow to relate the bricks with a particular mining place, where intensity of the mining was verifying during the ages. Without these date, it is difficult to choose right chemical elements for cluster analysis. On the other hand, the geochemical data can be supplemented with transological ones, because in the St. Nicholas Church were discovered some marked bricks. There are found 11 such bricks.They were marked using round dies with different ornamentation, that could be divided into 4 types. Most of them were found in the southern facade of the Church. Comparing marked brick lineup with changes of bricks size in the southern facade, the authors make two eductions: a) the southern wall of the church was built at the same time; b) different marks (types 1, 2, 4) are likely had been used in the same brickyard. Founded bricks with same marks in other places of Vilnius show that the same brickyard could produce bricks for other buildings as well, that were constructing during this period, i.e., St. Virgin Mary (Franciscan) Church and the Cathedral (maybe for its repair). Comparing marked bricks with northeastern German cities data, it is considered that St. Nicholas Church was built not earlier than in the 7th decade of the 14th century. So, the posotion of Hanul times Church becomes more reasonable

Bricks of St. Nicholas church: link between marking and geochemistry

The article presents the geochemical examination methods for visual markings of bricks, the analysis of brick size that were applied while examining the Vilnius St. Mikalojus church bricks. The goal of using these methods is to provide new opportunities of solving the questions about the old brick chronology and the technological ones about the creation of bricks. Vilnius St. Mikalojus' church bricks analysis and geochemical research of the bricks showed that both research methods can be perspective in the topic of getting more knowledge about the making of old bricks: we would be able to more precisely solve the issues of knowing the dates of buildings, cultural influences and other various problems. A conclusion is made after using the layout of St. Mikalojus church bricks that the southern and western walls of the church were built chronologically at the same time. According to the signs on the brick, their analogues in Germany, the church could not have been bricked earlier than in the 7th decade of the 14th century. Based on the occurrence of marked bricks in Vilnius, there is a thought that the brickyard, which made them, could have also supplied bricks to other buildings. The old clay of Vilnius has not been analyzed in a geochemical way. Therefore, their search and specialized studies become the main topic of future research. In the light of the fact that up until now we have lots of unknown aspects, it is hoped that already described and other potential methods of geochemical complexes will be applied to get to know the technology processes successfully