Middle Transport Corridor: Soil and Maize Contamination

Abstract

The Middle Corridor is increasingly gaining strategic importance, as north of it, the war between Russia and Ukraine has created a stalemate, while to the south, there is significant instability due to periodic armed conflicts related to Iran. Georgia, with access to the Black Sea, is one of the key countries in the Middle Corridor. According to World Bank forecasts, transit traffic through Georgia will increase by 52% in the coming years. This article examines the impact of increasing freight traffic on the geo-ecological state of the territories adjacent to the international highways E60 and E70, which are part of the Middle Transport Corridor. A study of soil samples and maize grown on them was carried out. The concentrations of heavy metals and toxic chemical elements were determined. Based on the results obtained, calculations were made of the Contamination Factor (CF) of soil and corn and the Translocation Factors (TF) of polluting elements from the root layers to cereal grains.