• DOI:10.9790/2402-1101036569
• Corpus ID: 55983850

Sustainable Cities and Soil Quality of Green Spaces

@article{Giuffr2017SustainableCA,
  title={Sustainable Cities and Soil Quality of Green Spaces},
  author={Lidia Giuffr{\'e} and Liliana Marb{\'a}n and C. Vespasiano and G. Moreno and R. P. R{\'i}os},
  journal={IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology},
  year={2017},
  volume={11},
  pages={65-69}
}

• L. Giuffré, L. Marbán, +2 authors R. P. Ríos
• Published 2017
• Environmental Science
• IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology

Livability in cities is linked to the optimization of the conditions of urban life related to the environment in which organisms develop, and green spaces guarantee much of the biodiversity in cities. Environmental Plan of Buenos Aires (Argentina) establishes the protection, regulation and control of levels of environmental and landscape quality of public space. Urban soils may be classified as Technosols, and should be handled carefully because it may contain toxic substances. The aim of this work is to study the quality of soils considering the analysis of fertility conditions, and the content of heavy metals in urban green spaces in Buenos Aires and surroundings, since the presence of these contaminants involves risk to the health of the community. Random sampling in 48 squares of the city of Buenos Aires was performed, with a composite sample for each green space. To evaluate fertility, actual pH, electrical conductivity in the saturation extract, Bray extractable phosphorus, total organic carbon and total nitrogen were determined. The total content of the metals cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, respectively), was evaluated in extraction with aqua regia and ICP determination. The average and maximum values resulted acceptable for Argentina legislation. Metals that showed the highest values in the studied soils were Zn and Pb. Principal component analysis showed the association between the squares and the contents of heavy metals, which can serve as a guide for monitoring samples at successive times to ensure that there is no risk for the population.