Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Long-term mining and subsequent processing activities predominantly focused on copper and mercury became the main source of soil pollution in the Middle Spiš area. The natural environment of former mining areas is significantly disrupted by toxic elements, which enter the soil and water ecosystem. Total content of toxic elements (Cu, As, Pb, Cd, Zn, Hg), biological (activity of urease (URE), acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and catalase (CAT) and chemical (soil reaction (pH), organic carbon (Cox), available content of nutrients (P, K, Mg) soil properties were determined. The research was carried out at the heaps and grasslands in the cadastres of three villages (Krompachy, Rudňany, Slovinky). Extremely high and about the limit value of Cu, As and Hg were determined at all sampling sites. Activity of soil enzymes observed in our study proved, their ability to reflect soil degradation caused by heavy metal pollution. Activity of URE, ACP, ALP decreased with increasing of heavy metal content in soils. Significantly acidic environment on the heaps of waste material was found, compared to the grasslands. Heaps showed lower values of organic carbon and nutrients, but no direct influence of soil pollution to the organic carbon, soil pH and nutrients was found.