Assessment of Soil Pollution with Presumably Contaminating Elements in Moscow Recreational Areas Using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

Urban ares are subjected to intensive pollution due continuous anthropogenic activity. In order assess the influence of thermal power plants and waste incineration on City Moscow recreational areas, mass fractions 37 major trace elements were determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis in soil samples collected at two different depths vicinity more potential contamination sources. Comparison with Upper Continental Crust (UCC) evidenced a high similarity exception Ca which fraction, some places, overcame number times UCC one. The Discriminant Analysis was used reveal similarities between composition soils samples. distribution as well analysed indicates their mixed origin. Contamination Factor (CF), Enrichment (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo) Pollution Load (PLI), all them defined respect UCC, for comprehensive evaluation presumably contaminating Cr, Ni, Zn, As, Sb Hg. Among them, only few CF reached maximum values 5.9 Hg, EF 13 Igeo 3.12, both Sb, but pointing towards an uneven contaminated areas. majority same indices below or around thresholds, locations PLI exceeded 1.05, suggesting moderate localized plants.