## 1 Introduction
In the case of cesium \({}^{137}\)Cs, the deposition, i.e., the surface concentration, was also calculated. This enabled the estimation of exposure to ionizing radiation, i.e., the determination of the annual effective dose for people staying in the PPN and the surrounding population. Information about the behaviors and distributions of radionuclides occurring in soils can be useful for epidemiological, geological, and soil quality management studies [3]. Moreover, it may be valuable to estimate the limitations and potentials of soils for many special uses [20; 21]. That is why radiological studies of environment components (e.g., soil, water, air) are crucial. Heavy metals are present in the environment as a result of natural soil formation processes, which are regulated by site and environmental influences, as well as from anthropogenic sources. The most important natural sources are mineral weathering, erosion, and volcanic activity. Bedrock, which is the main natural source of metals in the soil, provides a varied content of metals depending on their type, mineralogical composition, and origin. Main anthropogenic sources of heavy metals in the environment, such as mining and metallurgy, petrochemical and chemical plants, industrial and municipal waste, transport and agricultural phosphorus fertilizers and pesticides, waste (e.g., manure, composts, and municipal sewage sludge), and atmospheric deposition, depend on human activity [22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27]. Heavy metals become contaminants due to over-processing. They transfer from mine areas to other places, discharging high concentrations of metal waste, depending on the industry. This converts metals to forms with greater bioavailability, resulting in greater exposure to humans. The human disruption of the slowly occurring geochemical cycle of metals in nature results in the accumulation of one or more heavy metals in the soil and waters above natural levels. This may be sufficient to pose a risk to human, plant, animal, and aquatic health [28]. Metals are highly stable in the environment and do not biodegrade or leach [29]. This is the result of the ion exchange process taking place in the soil, where metals migrate to soil colloids. There is an exchange of ions that balance the surface charge of soil colloids with ions from the soil solution. The degree to which the soil components can perform the role of ion exchangers is determined by the cation exchange capacity of the soil (CEC) measured in mol/kg (milliequivalents/100 g) [30]. Metals present in soils in the form of micronutrients are necessary for plants (iron Fe, copper Cu, boron B, zinc Zn, manganese Mn, molybdenum Mo, nickel Ni) and for animals (iron Fe, copper Cu zinc Zn, manganese Mn, cobalt Cl, iodine I, molybdenum Mo, selenium Se, fluorine F, and chromium Cr). However, no physiological role of highly toxic metals, such as lead Pb, cadmium Cd, mercury Hg or thallium Tl, was found. All heavy metals, present in high concentrations, are potentially toxic to microflora, macroflora, plants and animals, as well as humans [31; 32]. The problem of the presence of metals in Polish soils occurs only locally, in places of their emission, e.g., from steel mills or in cases of direct contamination with substances rich in metals [1; 32]. In connection with human activity, non-industrial areas should be distinguished, which include forest and agricultural areas, as well as urban and industrial areas. Such areas seem particularly important due to their impact on the earth's surface. The risk that is particularly important for the protection of the earth's surface results from the collection of waste, discharge of industrial wastewater and other substances in such areas. The assessment of the condition and degree of soil contamination with heavy metals requires taking into account both their total content and mobile forms in the soil environment [32].