Abstract
The heavy metal content in the soil and in the plants of the Turkistan region in areas located near highways was studied in this paper. Physico-chemical parameters of the soil were determined. The transfer factor was calculated and a Pearson correlation analysis was performed to assess the intensity of metal absorption by plants. It has been established that the maximum concentration of heavy metals is observed in a strip 2-5 m from the roadway, exceeding the Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPC) by 1.5–3.0 times. The accumulation of metals in the soil corresponds to the series: Pb>Zn>Cd. Despite the high content of lead in the soil, its mobility remains low (TF=0.16–0.32), whereas, on the contrary, cadmium exhibits maximum migration capacity (TF=2.9–4.4). A strong correlation was found between the level of soil pollution and the accumulation of metals in the fruits of grapes, melons, and strawberries. The results of the study confirm that motor transport is a powerful source of chemical pollution of agricultural areas. The risk of toxic substances contaminating the food chain could be further reduced by respecting a sanitary distance from the road, regularly monitoring the environment and, if necessary, using phytoremediation techniques.