One of the principal indicators characterising the intensity of extraction and utilisation of chemical elements is technophilicity, defined as the ratio between the annual extraction or production of an element (tons per year) and its Clarke concentration in the lithosphere. Numerous chemically analogous elements, despite substantial differences in both Clarke values and production volumes, demonstrate similar or comparable degrees of technophilicity. Technophilicity is a highly dynamic parameter that evolves in response to anthropogenic activity. For example, the continuous increase in oil and gas extraction has contributed to the progressive growth of carbon technophilicity. Likewise, the large-scale production of phosphate fertilizers, dolomite, and magnesite has led to a marked increase in the technophilicity of phosphorus and magnesium. The present study involved comprehensive multi-aspect investigations aimed at assessing the distribution patterns of heavy metals across different environmental media. The Absheron Peninsula was selected as the study area, and numerous samples were collected from various oil-contaminated sites throughout the region. The results obtained from the field investigations and subsequent laboratory analyses revealed the accumulation of a wide spectrum of heavy metals in the soils, including Pb, As, Cr, Cu, Zn, Se, Al, Fe, and Mn. Significant correlations identified between soil pH, organic matter content, and the exchangeable and reducible fractions of most heavy metals indicate that the migration behaviour and mobility patterns of these elements can be reliably predicted in advance.

Keywords: soil samples, technophilicity, Clarke values, geochemical characteristics, migration

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