Abstract Centrally located in Ludvika, between the central station and the south-eastern part of Lake Väsman, the area called "Väsmanstranden" is located. The closeness to both Väsman and all its nearby natural deposits and the railroad have created excellent conditions for many businesses to flourish on the site over the years. For example, there have been sawmills, impregnation operations, a concrete plant and several oil companies. In addition, an extensive transhipment of sulphide ore resulting from the nearby mines has taken place from boat to rail near the water. Several of these historical activities have left pollution of various kinds. Investigations carried out have shown, in particular, oil pollution and metals. Today, Väsmanstranden is used to a relatively small extent. However, greater utilization of the site is to be expected, as the municipality intends to carry out extensive exploitation of the area. The purpose of this thesis was to carry out a supplementary and extended environmental risk analysis of Väsmanstranden. For practical and economic reasons, the analysis was limited to only include metals. Soil sampling, based on a sampling plan designed to supplement previous surveys, was carried out in a total of 40 points. The sampled soil was quantitatively analyzed with XRF, Xray fluorescence. The metals whose concentration was investigated were lead, barium, zinc, cobalt, arsenic, copper, chromium, cadmium, nickel and mercury. The study also included conducting a site-specific survey study in which Väsmanstranden's current visitor frequency was mapped. In the more extended part of the work, site-specific guideline values were generated using the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's guideline value model. This was done for the metals lead, barium, zinc, nickel and arsenic, which were detected at high concentrations in many places in the area. For the same metals, a modeling of dispersion and an exposure analysis were also performed. All of the surveyed sub-areas of Väsmanstranden were found to contain at least some metal in a content that exceeds the limit for which can be tolerated when ”less sensitive landuse” is taken into consideration. In significantly more test points, the limit for ”sensitive landuse” was exceeded. Metal concentrations exceeding developed site-specific guideline values also occurred in all subareas. On a promontory in one of the northern parts of the study area that had not previously been sampled, arsenic was found in high concentrations. There is a risk that the levels of arsenic, barium, nickel and lead present can lead to unacceptable exposure in an envisaged future scenario. The dispersion modeling showed the risk of spreading to groundwater at levels that exceed assessment bases derived from the Geological Survey of Sweden. Although both model and parameter uncertainties exist in the methods used, it is clear that measures that reduce risks to humans, animals and the environment should be taken. Probably, remediation consisting of excavation is the most suited finishing option. The method is applicable to all pollution, provides a permanent risk reduction and is also one of the most economically advantageous alternatives. Concomitant use of any type of purification method could reduce the amount of waste deposited.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:lnu-96153 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Creators | Qvarforth, Anna |
| Publisher | Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för biologi och miljö (BOM) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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