Heavy metal contamination near scrap metal yards and car breakers yards

9

The Science of the Total Enuironment, 59 (1987) g--l8 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - Printed

in The Netherlands

HBAVY

YARDS

P. 1 2 3

4 5

METAL

CONTAMINATION

C.S.

BLAKEl,

NEAR

SCRAP

CHAMBERLAIN2,

D.

METAL

CHAMBERS3,

Environmental

Health

Dept.,

London

Environmental

Health

Dept.,

Thamesdown

School

of

Biology

Environmental School

and

Dept.,

Chemistry

of

Greenwich

of

for

J.

YARDS

MENDHAM5*

(UK) Swindon

(UK)

Polytechnic,

Greenwich

London

(Address

and

Council, Thames

Borough

Polytechnic, *

CLARKE4,

Health,

London

Thames

B.

Borough

Environmental

Health

of

Borough

AND CAR BREAKERS

London

SE18 (UK)

(UK)

SE18

(UK)

correspondence)

AElSTRACT An investigation was made of the levels of selected heavy metals in the vicinity of (a) scrap metal yards, and (b) a car breaker's yard. Road dust samples taken near to the scrap metal yards were analysed for cadmium, copper, lead and zinc. The analysis of these samples showed a correlation between the degree of contamination and the type of scrap handled. It was apparent that yards which handled lead scrap made a significant contribution to environmental contamination albeit in a localised area. Surface water run-off within the yards together with the movement of vehicles to and from these premises distributed contaminants throughout the immediate neighbourhood. Total levels of cadmium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc, and also 'available' copper and zinc were analysed both within and close to a car-breakers yard. The results showed elevated contaminant levels within the site. There was however a distinct reduction in these values as the distance from the site boundary increases. INTRODUCTION The

Lawther

directed

not

sources

residential

small

yards. scrap

This metal

environmental zinc

taken

with

nickel

-Premises (i) The yards

(ref.1)

to

including

metal four

Report only

report

often

The

dust

samples

samples

an

a car

metals

monitoring

traffic

analysed

close

metal to

as

the

South

cadmium, and

as

scrap

London

same

area

of

copper, the

be industrial

sources

yards, car

to

such

potential

were

the

also

sources in

yard

should

but

investigation

scrap and

lead to

controlled)

breakers

near

within

that close

poorly

involves and

pollution.

from

areas

(and

yards

from

recommended

lead metals

breakers

yard.

area.

None

of

it

was

and together

Studied Scrap

metal

sites

studied

were

licensed

0048-9697/87/$03.50

yards were to

all

reclaim

0 1987

Elsevier

concentrated lead

from

Science

in

a small

scrap

metal

Publishers

B.V

and

hence

of

localised

the antici-

scrap

10 pated

that

mainly

Site it

on

situated

sides.

It

all

roads

carry

to

assess

was

high

yard

inspection

chain-link Roads

extended

fence.

(i)

in

roads

a total

of

31

main

"battery

roads samples

road

in

breaking"

a residential, It

road

the

was

order

to

and

industrial by

little

the

housing

playground

light enclosed

carries

sampled

within

adventure

service The

traffic.

estate.

were

The

nearby.

facing

recover

yard.

service

yard

houses

metre

traffic.

sampling

estate,

programme and

(approximately

area, a 2.5

(ii)

was

the

50 metres

area

from

the

yard. Evidence The

suggested

that

site

(Site

sides

by

smallest

surrounded

on

little

all

The

traffic.

road

main

road

were

sampled.

that

was

handled

at

stated

"We The

each

Buy

metres

They

area, evident

extended

that

The

no

battery

sufficient waste

scrap visible

area

service

yard

is

and

road

of

was

and the

displayed

an

type

on

metals.

received

situated

evidence

a notice

ferrous

the

very adjacent

of

scrap

entrance

door

yards

one

scrap

yards

from

include:

(i)

yards

enclosed yard,

adjacent

to

area by wire

over

were

roads

roads

pathway

scrap residential

were

divided

taken

which

served

branching

dividing

one

predominantly

of

roads

the

carrying

two

off

the

the

yards.

ferrous

a 2.5

an overhead

by

surrounding

with

fencing

The

yards.

main

sampling It

was

metals.

Yard on

a deciduously

gravel

and

breaking

is

quantity

copper,

a predominantly

The

handled

two

lead,

out

ready and

The

hilltop.

site

was

items

were

track.

carried

was zinc

wooded

concrete

for

on

site,

removal

various

alloys

these to

a scrap

were

metal

collected

yard. and

sold

metal.

Sampling proximity

situated

a pot-holed

Although

scrap

were

yards

was

by

until

The

incorporated

pathway metal.

Breakers

yard

D) in

pedestrian

these

Similarly,

with

industrial

wall.

no

Both

to

the

Car

approached

stored

however

situated

Samples

(ii)

(ii)

was

yard,

predominantly

a light

the

nearby.

scrap

traffic. was

in

There

A pedestrian

and

dealt

brick

(Site

were estate

high.

sampling

C!) was a high

studied

transported

little

yard

on which

this

site

housing

crane

this

Batteries".

last

other.

Council

as

was

with

walls.

road

adjacent

that

scrap

The

the

the

road

housing

brick

sampled;

revealed

this

area

a main

include

heavy

B),

wire

high is

were

to

site

(Site a Council

include;

2 metre

sides

to

the

to

a childrens'

scrap

due

residential

there

all

in

surrounding to

outside

on

of

site,

adjacent

by

extended

occupation

largest

was

handled.

although

levels

a major

The and

enclosed

was

pollution

Visual lead

scrap

Sampling

were

a predominantly

traffic

the

taken.

metals in

was

little

surrounding were

ferrous

A was

of

was the

carried yard.

out Control

both

within

samples

the were

site

and

taken

from

at

points a busy

in road

the about

close 800

11

metres

from

the

kilometres

breakers

yard,

and

also

from

the

centre

of

a park

about

1.5

distant.

METHODS Collection

of

(i)

Scrap

Nearly the

an

to

of of

Yards

the

the

each

area

ferred

Metal

all

road

sides

Samples

samples

kerb.

taken

road

within

to

were

the

approximately

sampling

plastic

sites

of

road

(B

and

dust

collected

collected

at

area.

30 cm x 3 cm was

a sealable

On two

were

Samples

5 to

For

each

swept

at

7 metre

the

sample,

into

junction

intervals the

a clean

scoop

of

on both road

dust

and

trans-

bag.

D),

soil

samples

were

taken

soil

with

from

within

the

scrap

metal

yard. (ii)

Car

Breakers

Samples which

were

was

Yard

obtained

cleaned

by

between

digging

the

samples.

Each

sample

a stainless

was

steel

placed

in

trowel,

a sealable

plastic

bag. Sample

treatment

Both

and

the

dust

the

Samples

millimetres.

made

measurement

and

up

to

50 ml

soil

(lg)

with

samples

were

wet

deionized

were ashed

water,

oven

dried

with

and

and

30 ml

filtered

of

sieved

1:l

to

pass

(nitric

through

2

acid:water),

a Whatman

541

filter

paper. In

addition

for

1 hour

and

zinc. All

some

with

the

40 ml

above

analysed

for

breakers

yard,

samples of

0.05M

filtrates,

cadmium,

EDTA

after

copper,

nickel

Instrumentation

taken

by

Laboratory

the

car

in

order

to

appropriate zinc

lead,

Flame

from

Atomic

breakers

yard

determine

when

additionally

Absorption

were

"available"

dilution, and

(lg)

copper

necessary,

those

Spectroscopy

shaken

were

from using

the

car

an

I.L.357.

RESULTS Scrap

metal

Values D are

'A' those

of

given

Note:

The were

dealers the

metal

overleaf

in

sample taken

samples

content Tables

numbers from

lettered

the

are road 'B'

of 1 to given kerbside

are

taken

dust

samples

taken

from

sites

A,

I%, C and

4 respectively. the

suffix adjacent

on

the

A or to kerbside

B. the

Those scrap

immediately

samples metal

yards opposite.

lettered whereas

in

12 TABLE

1 (Site

Sample

No.

A) Metal Pb

1A 1B 2A 28 3A 3B 4A 48 5A 5B 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 9A 9B 10A 10B l& (Main

TABLE

Sample

1A 1B 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B 5A 5B 6A 6B 7A 7B

2

Road)

(Site

32,700 7,300 23,900 6,240 7,600 3,410 2,860 2,600 2,770 3,040 2,820 2,140 2,430 1,980 4,530 3,230 7,270 2,940 7,010 4,480 1,870

Cd

content

(ug/g) Zn

64.7 6.1 21.1 12.7 7.3 15.8 3.3 5.1 5.9 4.2 2.9 3.5 13.6 7.7 2.9 3.0 2.9 2.0 16.7 7.0 41.0

CU

12,000 2,030 6,240 2,070 1,540 1,460 1,630 1,450 1,500 1,470 1,150 1,380 2,280 1,120 1,780 1,380 1,690 1,180 2,120 1,720 1,350

34,200 5,020 15,300 4,150 4,530 1,560 1,120 690 1,590 520 847 624 810 498 1,310 1,330 1,530 1,320 3,280 2,810 80

B)

No.

Metal Pb

Cd

2,770 1,920 2,300 1,350 1,470 1,350 1,520 1,270 3,000 890 1,450 1,030 1,960 2,580

6.0 1.9 15.9 5.0 5.7 16.0 6.7 5.3 12.6 4.9 6.8 6.4 4.7 3.8

content Zll 1,190 784 1,910 1,090 1,090 1,220 1,340 1,000 2,220 839 1,540 802 511 604

(ug/g) CU 945 261 1,140 403 479 502 282 208 1,200 224 485 500 860 897

13 TABLE

3

Sample

(Site No.

1A 1B 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B 5A 5B 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 9A 9B

'IABLE Sample

1A 1B 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B 5A 5B 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 88 9A 9B 10A 10B

C)

4

(Site

Metal Pb

Cd

2,920 2,980 4,980 5,610 6,520 6,550 5,020 6,980 4,700 5,540 4,010 8,330 3,760 6,150 5,280 3,800 3,490 3,240

6.8 13.8 26.9 26.6 34.4 56.4 20.6 16.3 14.2 16.2 16.7 24.2 5.2 6.3 3.3 6.3 4.8 4.7

content zn

(;ig/g) CU

6,280 2,780 4,310 1,670 10,700 6,340 4,360 2,860 2,900 3,030 2,720 4,160 2,240 2,270 2,000 1,920 1,630 1,300

681 868 1,510 2,350 3,000 4,040 1,660 1,390 1,420 1,480 905 1,950 875 1,340 537 1,280 726 1,150

D)

No.

Metal Pb

Cd

5,710 2,850 3,670 3,940 4,320 4,530 4,930 5,440 3,330 4,500 2,000 3,860 9,750 6,870 5,980 1,950 3,860 2,180 1,930 3,000

11.1 20.5 20.1 19.6 32.0 20.5 30.0 32.1 16.2 15.5 7.2 9.6 29.4 23.3 44.5 16.3 3.2 2.8 1.2 1.1

content Zn 1,500 1,570 3,010 3,180 3,800 6,640 9,960 4,250 4,250 4,090 12,100 8,470 10,100 10,500 11,400 10,130 2,990 3,340 1,980 1.980

(pg/g) CU 2,570 3,130 1,400 1,100 1,620 4,390 1,680 2,490 4,790 1,450 1,650 2,050 2,650 5,470 5,690 2,650 780 1,560 1,310 810

13 The

range

of

summarized

the in

included;

concentrations

Table

(only

TABLE

5.

of

In

this

a selected

each

number

of

Range Site

Lead Cadmium Zinc Copper

1040 2.0 795 403

values

of

the

given

in

Table

6.

TABLE

6

samples

of Site

A

- 32,700 - 64.7 - 12,000 - 34,200 two

562 1.9 238 121

internal

Site

Pb

B D

4,800 4,000

Further,

approximately

both

soil

to

all

were

the

samples

given

in

found Site

(pg/g) C

four

sites

measured

Tables

are

are

1 to

4).

soil

Breakers

The

results

7.

TABLE

7

taken

of

-

from

Site

8,330 56.4 10,700 4,040

Site

846 1.1 1,190 356

B and

Site

D

- 9,750 - 37.9 - 13,100 - 5,690 D are

vg/g

18.0 18.0 4 up/g

polychlorinated

ZIl

CU

4,400 4,500

1,100 1,200

biphenyls

(PCB's)

were

found

Yard of

Pb

Samples Samples Samples

2,920 3.3 1,000 514

Content Cd

the

chemical

analysis

2,800 12,400 2,750 2,750 2,250 30,000 5,400 1,900 570 350 830 250

on

the

Cd

CU

Content Avail. cu

3 50 55 120 230 40 60 15 5 2 4 3

50 700 1,800 850 1,050 2,900 1,500 900 140 65 30 20

550 410 780 280 -

No.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ll(Contr01) 12(Control)

metal

samples

Metal Sample

each B

samples.

Car

Table

Soil

close

of

- 3,000 - 19.4 - 2,200 - 1,200

Metal

in

found

values

5

Metal

The

metal

the

case

1 to 5 were taken within 6 to 8 under 25 metres 9 and 10 over 50 metres

the yard from the yard from the yard.

soil

in

samples

are

given

in

rig/g zn

340 450 660 920 400 8,500 850 110 710 290 280 160

Avail. zn

410 700 2,100 560

Ni 2s 150 195 230 230 60 105 40 15 15 25 15

DISCUSSION Scrap

Metal

Yards

Site

A

The for

the

taken to

results

all

from the

the

sampling

scrap

action

entrance

and could

the

the

side thus

of

water

would

section

of

the

yard

from It

petrol.

decrease

be

deposited

from

road

yard.

in

in

corresponded

surrounding and towards

and

accumulate

the

within

the

supported

metals

on

that

entering

in

was

heavy

the the

from

suggestion

the to

down

a possibility

metals

metals

carrying

yard

of

these

vehicles

pollutants

levels is

the

points

area

slope

This

contamination of

the

sloped

the manner

There

result

1,800

vehicles.

sampling

It

the

surface

drainage

with

entrance

the of

different

Site from

Thus

in

scrap

not

used

the

elevated

A, the

order

systems

metal

appropriate metals

into

the using the

levels

lead

the use lead

from extent

zinc

Sampling of

of

cadmium

and

zinc

atmosphere

of

from

from

in

(sampling

point sampling

major

copper

that

11)

of in

point

obtained

not

point

lead

throughput

results were

from

yard.

from

Sampling

the

those

the

and

at

egress

scrap

a peak-hour cadmium

from

than

arise

sample

the

main

11. close

Howto

the

appreciably

11. arising

copper

as parameters motor

and

the

up

accumulated

higher

may

pollution and

the

access

distant

pick

obtained

serving

high and

yard,

were

levels

obtained

excessively of

3B)

with

those

obtained guage

yard, than

some

gain

a dust metres

that

to

3A and

lead

could

Results

vehicles

traffic

than

levels

levels to

500

heavy

apparent

of

by

possibility some

higher

exception the

2B,

yard

the

road.

pass

2A,

that this

the

On leaving service

roads

very

was much

site. the

lB,

road

entering

vehicles

lA,

carried

were

the

check main

vehicles

along which

argued to

of

within

along

the

road

area

arches

points

order

from This

latter

a marked the

yard

this

the

of

levels

by

within

off

was

wheel

be

In taken

area.

the

the run

In

These used in

from

environment.

to

10A.

metals

to will

gutter.

road

adjacent

could

the

entrance water

could

(Sampling

obtained

in

heavy

level

excessive

road

run-off

external

and dust

material

more

of

greatest

supplies. tyres

contaminated

ever,

the

service

the

contaminated

The

was

The

surface

there

3A and

the

surface

surrounding

that

opposite

the

any

contaminate

fact

water and

types. so

ZA,

to

levels to

the were

lB,

and

high due

vehicle road,

A showed There

lA,

yard

The

probably

of

service

yard

the

metal.

Site

determined.

points to

is

from

metals

entrance

entrance

by

obtained

four

vehicles.

from

as due

the

indicators to

activities is

the

release

probably of

16 Site

B

The

levels

the

site

of

where

run-off

from

explained could

all

reduce

by the

surrounding

site.

The taken

to

the

scrap

metal

result

in

results

the

to

site. and

unlikely

was

thus

the

service

this

scrap in

on the

surface

the

soil

copper

in

smelters

be

which

the

road on

scrap

in

the

which

Europe.

within

Hence the

yard,

area. indicated

dust

scrap

elevated

in

levels

(PCB's)

the

in

surrounding

yards

will

four

metals

was was

the

scrap

Site

D

The

results

siderable

as

of the

soil

area,

become

yard hence

was

no

the

the

The

subject

of

road

thus

in

the

tend

to

values

from

this

site

there merge

entrances. water

increasing a point

entrance

run-off

all

within

and

on

two the

metals to

an the

the

scrap

enclosed enclosure

using

on

either

to

the

from

yard

the

site.

obtained road.

yards were

fact of

vehicles

levels main

the

the

effect

adjacent

the

the from

by

the

distance

found

close from

area

handled

taken

explained

narrow

where

incorporated of

lead

between dust

reduced

the

latter

was

contaminants

with

those

lead

be

very

in

is

levels The

may

high

with

which

Elevated

was

elevated

the

which

distributing

excessively

a parameter

in

This

enclosed

of

side

service

the

that

from

either

the in

difference

those

taken

on

from

levels

source

significant and

service

road,

the

samples road

taken lead

suggestion

road.

totally

the

yard

surface

was

in

service

dust

lower

the

entrance of

the in

show

yard

was

were

variation. the

levels

There

the

a decrease used

lead road

all along

supports

side yard

levels

and

traffic

and

the

straddle

of

yard

main

Further,

would

there lead

of

may

is

to

surface

undertaken

biphenyls

road

near

that

opposite metal

Cadmium

fitting,

at

run-off.

side.

one

of

ferrous

process

site

levels

the

busy

yard.

dust

scrap

yard

from

mainly

polychlorinated

metal

road

metal

road

kerbside

If

activities

for

surrounding

the

and

the

re-cycling

the

and

of

the

It

levels

scrap

from

on

and

yard

zinc

to

any

the

of

Comparison

that

levels

the

of

elevated

the

case.

that

by depot

within

within

showed

entrance

at

of

presence

entrance

obtained

scrap

cadmium,

governed

to

from

the

a result

levels

the

transportation

subject

PCB's

lead,

be

for

low

of

at

as

study.

The

road

not

The

base

a storage

contamination

of

C

of

as

taken

The

Site

the

may

even

run-off. of

only

low, encountered

yard. the

surface

levels

dock

was

determination a future

metal

yard

a nearby

consistently normally

that

of low

sample

could

were are

contamination

soil metals.

fact

acts

minimising

heavy

scrap

the

the

yard

was

The

the

effect the

dust

metals levels

within

partly

Furthermore,

thus

the

elevated

showed

found area was

con-

close was able

to illto

17 accumulate case

in

of

Site

surface the

the

adjacent

A,

differences

run-off road

to

The

for

area

comparison

of

contamination

the

from

yards)

Car

may

Breakers of

are

was

however

the

site

eight

all

to

Site

as

areas

in

the

affected

from

the

opposite

that

they

acted

in

by side

B,

it

was

of

out

in

premises.

these

by

there the

alternative

studied.

storage

Thus

anticipated

However,

(outside

as

Scandinavia.

area.

58

continued

would

results

entrances

This

of

to

indicated

the

that

activity

on

the

in

horizontally be

prolonged

by

over

site

surface

that

dusts

and

a wide

and

area

as

had

present

were

was

not

battery

particularly

would

if

than in

the

from

over

comparatively

higher

dust

distance for

been

twenty

be

of

into

movement. was

Such in

made the

may

vertically

site

still

a survey view

contaminants

dispersed

wind-borne

and There

levels

Further, be

copper site.

the

used

unexpected

date. can

the

been

activity

This

vehicles

has

contaminant

such

since

around levels

site

that

where

(ref.2).

available and

contaminant

contaminants

Blake

in

this

evidence

cases

levels

incorporated

in

Although

strong

and

(including elevated

reduction

in

Cooney

may

investigated

significantly

was

The by

persal

smelters

4 metals

increased.

there

short-lived.

and

suggested to

the

metals be

significantly

become

in

taken

surrounding 1A

carried

a significant

years,

soil

to

boundary

1982

yards

from

the

of

five

shown

elevated

in

indicated,

metals

Yard

Levels zinc),

be

results of

values

export

obtained

levels

also

both

points

high

The levels

sample

its

of

sampling

showed

breaking

to

values

the

yard. by

prior

be

obtained

metal

covered

scrap

minimal

with

scrap

gutter.

in

compared the

main

depots

road

use

the

dis-

for

a

period.

CONCLUSIONS This -the

study

urban

degree

of

which

handle

localised

lead

near

localised

scrap,

a major

motorways on

in

of to

to to

that

arise

West of

from

those

was

London lead

extremely

caused the

of

which

significant yards.

metal

with

shown

from

This traffic proportions,

the

some

in

scrap

metal

of

environmental

concluded

there

were the

yards

ferrous

albeit

a survey

report

in

and that

mainly

pollution,

by

yards

handled

has

deal

arising

from

scrap metal

evidence

supported

(ref.3).

derived

scrap

by

type

environmental

pollutants

"hot-spots"

levels

sources

to

compared

fact

local

problem

Experimental

contribution

The

cause

appeared

the

according

undertaken.

area. to

that

varies

lead

superimposed

which

revealed

re-cycling

made

metals,

appear

has

environment

most

a yards

that highly important

of

18 Thus respect

the

to

positioning

of

residential

areas

environmental

contamination.

contamination

arising

they

were

situated

both will It

from close

these to

scrap

metal

inevitably would

appear

sites

could

nursery

yards

and

influence

schools

from

breakers

yards

contribution

to

theresults

pose and

car the

obtained

severe

hazards

food

processing

to

if

that for establish-

REFERENCES D.H.S.S. H.M.S.O.

Working 1980

2

Cooney,

P.

3

Little, in West Harwell

P. and London. 1978.

and

Party Blake,

on P.

Heard, M.J. Environmental

Lead Private

in

the

Environment

Communication

- An environmental and Medical

- Lead

and

Health.

1985. lead Sciences

survey Division

near

the

example

ments.

1

wit.1

motorways AERE,