Chemical and Mineralogical Properties of Norwegian Alum Shale Soils, with Special Emphasis on Heavy Metal Content and Availability

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Abstract
Alum shale and till soils overlying alum shale bedrock were analysed for aqua regia and NH4OAc/EDTA extractable Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn and Cd. The means of these determinations were compared with those of Norwegian, Finnish and Swedish non-alum shale soils. Alum shale soils seemed to contain higher amounts of both total and easily extractable Cu, Zn, Ni and Cd. Total Pb content also seemed to be higher in the alum shale soils. The relative availability of Cd, Ni and Mn, expressed as the ratio of NH4OAc/EDTA to aqua regia extractable, was found to be greater than that of Pb, Cu and Zn in the alum shale and till soils.