The Pedogeochemical Map of the Emilia-Romagna plain

The Pedogeochemical Map of Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, V, Zn of the Emilia-Romagna plain at 1:250,000 scale. Second edition (2016)

Carta del fondo naturale 2016 cover

According to the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection (COM 2006/0231), soil is regarded as non-renewable resource. In an environmental perspective, D.lgs 152/06 considers soils as environmental matrix, like air and water. Soil also has several different functions and represents an essential support to human activities and to ecosystem survival.

The Pedogeochemical Map of the Emilia-Romagna plain at 1:250,000 scale represents the areal distribution of the pedo-geochemical content (according to ISO 19258,2005 definition) of six potentially toxic metals in agricultural soils: Chromium [Cr], Nickel [Ni], Zinc [Zn], Copper [Cu], Lead [Pb] and Vanadium [V].

The second edition of the Pedogeochemical Map of Cr, Cu Ni, Pb and Zn is the result both of new surveys carried out between 2013 and 2015 than a detailed analysis of the ophiolitic rocks content in the Apennines basins. The Pedogeochemical Map of vanadium is in its first edition.

The knowledge of the natural background (or pedo-geochemical content) of heavy metals in soil is provided for by law (D.lgs 152/2006). This is the basis for a correct evaluation of diffuse contamination and lays the foundations for proper land management choices.