UK: Topsoil geochemistry
51ΑΤΖζ Datasets
Key information
Scale:
N/ACoverage:
Partial UK CoverageAvailability:
Free / LicensedFormat:
Geotiff data (500m cell size). Printable maps in png format. Database tables for survey points.Price:
Gridded data free for commercial, research and public use under the Open Government Licence.
Underpinning survey point data available under licence on request.
Uses:
Local-level to Regional-level useGet data
Free access
Our free data is available under the. Pleaseacknowledgereproduced BGS materials.
Topsoil geotiffs and mapPaid access
To access the underpinning geochemical baseline (G-BASE) data, a BGS data licence is required.
Licence this dataDownload example dataSupporting documents
The UK Compiled Topsoil Dataset (UKTS), is the most extensive topsoil geochemistry dataset for the UK available at the time of release (August 2024). The UKTS was brought together by combining data from the following sources:
(i) the 51ΑΤΖζ (BGS) Geochemical Baseline Survey of the Environment (G-BASE) rural and urban topsoil dataset (which accounts for 76.4% of the topsoil samples included in the UKTS)
(ii) the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI) TellusNI rural and urban topsoil geochemical survey dataset (13.8% of the UKTS samples)
(iii) the BGS-Rothamsted Research X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF) rural soil dataset (RR-BGS XRF), based on sub-samples held at from the of England and Wales sample archive, National Soil Resources Institute, Cranfield University (9.8% of the UKTS samples).
The maps within the dataset are based on geochemical analyses of 57,966 topsoil samples, which were collected between 1978 and 2014. Sampling covers all of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and part of Scotland. The topsoil samples were analysed by X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) for 41 chemical elements in UK topsoil.
An atlas of the compiled topsoil concentrations for the UK is and all maps are available to view within the website.
For the rest of the UK, more detailed information on the stream sediment geochemistry, including a series of regional geochemical atlases, is also available to download.
UK compiled topsoil geochemical information
The underpinning topsoil sample data from the G-BASE project is available under licence; please contact 51ΑΤΖζ Enquiries. An example extract of this data is available to download. Search the geochemistry section of the to view the availability of G-BASE stream sediment, stream water and soil data in Great Britain.
The equivalent data from the TellusNI geochemical survey is available from the GSNI website.
Data from the of England and Wales sample archive is available from the website. Please note that BGS are unable to supply any component of this data in its baseline form, only the interpolated values can be provided in the Geotiffs and PNG files given below.
Map downloads
The data for 41 elements presented in the , can be downloaded as a set of GeoTiffs.
Grids and PNG maps available for download
| Analyte | Name | Units | Geotiff | Maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al | Aluminium | wt % oxide | ||
| Ca | Calcium | wt % oxide | ||
| Fe | Iron | wt % oxide | ||
| K | Potassium | wt % oxide | ||
| Mg | Magnesium | wt % oxide | ||
| Mn | Manganese | wt % oxide | ||
| Na | Sodium | wt % oxide | ||
| P | Phosphorus | wt % oxide | ||
| Si | Silicon | wt % oxide | ||
| Ti | Titanium | wt % oxide | ||
| As | Arsenic | mg/kg | ||
| Ba | Barium | mg/kg | ||
| Br | Bromine | mg/kg | ||
| Cd | Cadmium | mg/kg | ||
| Ce | Cerium | mg/kg | ||
| Co | Cobalt | mg/kg | ||
| Cr | Chromium | mg/kg | ||
| Cs | Caesium | mg/kg | ||
| Cu | Copper | mg/kg | ||
| Ga | Gallium | mg/kg | ||
| Hf | Hafnium | mg/kg | ||
| I | Iodine | mg/kg | ||
| La | Lanthanum | mg/kg | ||
| Mo | Molybdenum | mg/kg | ||
| Nb | Niobium | mg/kg | ||
| Nd | Neodymium | mg/kg | ||
| Ni | Nickel | mg/kg | ||
| Pb | Lead | mg/kg | ||
| Rb | Rubidium | mg/kg | ||
| Sb | Antimony | mg/kg | ||
| Sc | Scandium | mg/kg | ||
| Se | Selenium | mg/kg | ||
| Sn | Tin | mg/kg | ||
| Sr | Strontium | mg/kg | ||
| Th | Thorium | mg/kg | ||
| U | Uranium | mg/kg | ||
| V | Vanadium | mg/kg | ||
| W | Tungsten | mg/kg | ||
| Y | Yttrium | mg/kg | ||
| Zn | Zinc | mg/kg | ||
| Zr | Zirconium | mg/kg |
The predicted standard error models for all the above interpolated analyses are available as a downloadable compiled zip file.
Frequently asked questions
There is no simple answer for ‘how polluted is somewhere’, since both natural and artificial processes have resulted in chemical variations within the soil. The survey didn’t measure every type of environmental pollutant, only inorganic chemical elements.
The element maps for topsoils show areas with higher element concentrations relative to their surroundings, but such areas are not necessarily contaminated. We have not displayed the survey data relative to any guideline levels since there are only a few official
The data will provide a resource for research into the effects the soil chemical environment may have on people’s health, though this is the specialist area of health professionals and researchers and not directly within the remit of the BGS.
For answers to health-related questions, please contact your local authority or your local Health Protection Agency’s health protection unit.
There are many sources of chemicals in the environment; some are natural and some introduced due to human activities.
This survey detected the background, geological signature that we term the natural baseline geochemistry. Even this can display lots of variation in the concentrations of some chemical elements. A few examples of human activities that can change these background levels include:
- industry
- construction projects
- traffic
- agriculture
We make information on the environment available so that individuals and organisations can make informed decisions. There may be instances where local authorities may wish to do follow-up studies on the basis of the data.
No. This survey data is intended to measure and map the background concentrations of a range of inorganic elements in soil. It is not intended to be used as a site-specific tool or to replace site investigations. However, it can be used to set the wider context around a more detailed site investigation for a specific site.
This survey is designed as a regional-scale, baseline survey and not for assessment of single sites. However, if you wish to look and assess the data in your area, you can download maps or use the
The sample taken in your area would give an indication of the level of many elements in the soil and, since the data is accurate, would allow you to compare this point to the rest of the range of data across your region. However, due to the complex history of many urban soils (due to the intensity of their use) there are often big differences in the levels of elements over a short distance. Therefore one data point in a garden is not enough to give a true reflection of the range of levels of elements over the whole area of the garden.
A kilogram (kg) is one thousand grams. A milligram (mg) is one-thousandth part of a gram so a concentration of 1 mg/kg copper, for example, in a soil sample means that a kilogram of soil contains one milligram of copper. This could be compared to approximately 5 grains of sugar in a 1 kg bag.
It is possible to be exposed to small amounts of soil, for example, on food or in the air we breathe. It is also possible to directly eat soil accidentally. Young children are more likely to do this since they have more regular hand-to-mouth contact with soil during play.
For answers to health-related questions, please contact your local authority or your local Health Protection Agency’s health protection unit.
Arsenic
Arsenic (As) is an element that has a reputation as a poison, but it occurs widely at levels of a few tens of mg/kg in rocks and soils and, at these levels, has no harmful effects.
Some areas affected by industry and other human activities may have elevated arsenic levels and in such cases, further investigations of the potential for harmful effects may be carried out.
Cadmium
Cadmium (Cd) is a rare metal, usually present in soils at less than 1 mg/kg. It is used in industrial processes and in some rechargeable batteries. Since cadmium is potentially toxic, further investigations of the potential for harmful effects may be carried out.
Examples of poisoning even in cadmium-rich soils derived from lead and zinc mine waste and industrial wastes are very rare.
Calcium
Calcium (Ca) is a common element in nature, abundant in many rocks and soils and in artificial materials such as cement. It is non-toxic and essential to life, being a major component of bones and teeth.
Chromium
Chromium (Cr) is a relatively common, silvery metal, most commonly used in chromium plating and stainless steel. The metal and most of its compounds are generally not harmful, but some chemical forms of chromium in industrial wastes can present a risk to health.
Copper
Copper (Cu) is a metal that is widely used in coinage and electrical wire, for example. At low levels it is essential for life but may be harmful at very high levels.
Iron
Iron (Fe) is a common element, abundant in many rocks and soils and in many artificial materials such as steel. It is essential to life, being present in the red pigment (haemoglobin) in blood, for example.
Lead
Lead (Pb) is a metal and has no known biological function, but is potentially harmful if it enters the body. Even so, examples of lead poisoning from contaminated soils are very rare.
Other significant sources of lead exist in our environment and homes, for example leaded paint.
Nickel
Nickel (Ni) is a relatively common metal, present at a few tens of mg/kg in many soils. Some areas affected by industry and other human activities may have raised nickel levels, and in such cases, further investigations of the potential for harmful effects may be carried out.
Selenium
Selenium (Se) is a rare element that is essential for life in trace amounts but is potentially harmful at very high levels. The London Earth dataset has shown that very high levels of selenium are not likely to be present in London.
Zinc
Zinc (Zn) is a common metal being present at up to a few hundred mg/kg in many soils and perhaps an order of magnitude higher in those soils affected by industrial wastes. It is essential to life and generally has a low toxicity, but in areas with soils with a very high zinc levels, further investigations of the potential for harmful effects may be carried out.
Please contact our enquiry service:
enquiries@bgs.ac.uk
Tel: 0115 936 3143
Download BGS sample data
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