In the Northern Vils River valley near Vilseck and Freihung alluvial soils are contaminated with heavy metals. This was caused by former lead mining, milling and smelting during the period from 1427 until the end of the second world war. The US army training area Grafenwöhr north of the study area and natural lead ores could further be potential sources of metal enrichments in the floodplain. Therefore, the aim of the thesis is the localisation and quantification of the heavy metal accumulations in the alluvial sediments of Vils River. Using radiocarbon dating methods, possible primary sources should be located. By characterising the mobility of lead, zinc and arsenic the potential endangerment for ground and surface waters will be assessed according to German soil protection statutes (BBodSchV 1998). High mobilisation rates of the metals cause charges of so far uncontminated downstream alluvial soils. For the detection of total heavy metal contents field-portable X-ray fluorescence analysis (FPXRF) is carried out besides aqua regia dissolutions with measurement by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). FPXRF is a new methodological tool, which should be implemented in questions of soil sciences with these investigations. Furthermore, this study has an applied relation to a planned renaturation procedure of a Vils River section between Vilseck and Freihung. For forthcoming dredging of a new meandering river-bed knowledge of the spatial distribution of heavy metals is necessary. Hence, another scope of the thesis is the declaration of critical areas with regard to potential mobility of lead, zinc and arsenic. The parameters influencing the solubility of the metals are processed in a model by GIS ArcView to point out the critical areas within the Vils River floodplain. Such domains could not only lead to contaminations of surface waters in cases of anthropogenic changes in the fluvial environment, but also if natural processes as river bank detachment or meander break-through occur.
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In the Northern Vils River valley near Vilseck and Freihung alluvial soils are contaminated with heavy metals. This was caused by former lead mining, milling and smelting during the period from 1427 until the end of the second world war. The US army training area Grafenwöhr north of the study area and natural lead ores could further be potential sources of metal enrichments in the floodplain. Therefore, the aim of the thesis is the localisation and quantification of the heavy metal accumulations...
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