Pedological Factors on the Leaching of Heavy Metals from First World War Battlefields

Abstract

At the time that the armistice was signed in November 1918, what would become known as the First World War was the single most destructive conflict in human history. While millions were left dead on the battlefields of a conflict that spanned the globe, one unsung victim is seldom discussed: the environment. This study examines the impact that soil has on the concentrations of heavy metals that were left behind once the guns fell silent at a handful of locations that saw heavy fighting throughout the War. Heavy metal concentrations were found to be significantly different (p<0.1) when compared to the background values of the heavy metals that were examined in this study. Sites that had higher amounts of clay in the soil were found to be more polluted than those that had a coarser texture due to a higher surface area and decreased material mobility.