Heavy metals in soils from a typical industrial area in Sichuan,China: spatial distribution,source identification,and ecological risk assessment

Anthropogenic activities could result in increasing concentrations of heavy metals in soil and deteriorating in soil environmental quality. Topsoil samples from a typical industrial area, Shiting River Valley, Sichuan, Southwest China, were collected and determined for the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg. The mean concentrations of these metals were lower than the national threshold values, but were slightly higher than their corresponding background values, indicating enrichment of these metals in soils in the valley, especially for Cu, Zn, and Hg. The topsoils in this area demonstrated moderate pollution and low potential ecological risk. Principal component analysis coupled with cluster analysis was applied to analyze the data and identified possible sources of these heavy metals; the results showed that soil Cd, Hg, As, Cu, and Zn were predominantly controlled by human activities, whereas Cr was mainly from the parent material. The spatial distribution of the heavy metals varied distinctly and was closely correlated to local anthropogenic activities. Furthermore, the concentrations of heavy metals in the industrial land demonstrated relatively higher levels than those of other land use patterns. Soil metal concentrations decreased with the distance increase from the traffic highway (0–1.0 km) and water system (0–2.0 km). Additionally, soil properties, especially pH and soil organic matter, were found to be important factors in the distribution and composition of metals.     

Distribution of trace metals in moss biomonitors and assessment of contamination sources in Portugal

A biomonitoring survey using the moss species [Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. and Scelopodium touretii (Brid.) L. Kock] was performed in the whole territory of Portugal, in order to evaluate the atmospheric deposition of the following elements: Cd. Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. The concentrations of the same elements were also obtained in two types of soil samples, collected under the moss and in nearby plots without any plant coverage, and relationships between moss and soil concentrations was investigated using the multivariate statistical method of Co-inertia Analysis. Also, relationships between concentrations in moss and several anthropogenic, geologic, pedologic and environmental parameters were screened using the same method of Co-inertia Analysis. Higher concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn were found in areas of higher population density, with higher gasoline consumption, while higher values of Fe and Cr occur in the driest region, with lower plant coverage, indicating strong contamination by resuspended soil particles. Results also show good agreement between moss and soil contents, even for elements with high contribution of anthropogenic sources. The spatial pattern in Portugal of element contents in mosses were also detected and discussed in relation to local contamination sources.     

巢湖表层沉积物中重金属的分布特征及其污染评价

以巢湖表层沉积物为研究对象,利用BCR连续提取法研究了沉积物中Cr、Co、Ni、Cu、Cd、Zn、V和Pb等8种重金属元素的分布特征,同时运用潜在风险指数法和地累积指数法综合评价了巢湖沉积物中重金属的生态风险。结果表明,巢湖沉积物中的重金属含量在空间上表现出东西高、中间低的分布特征。巢湖表层沉积物中Cr、Co、Ni、V和Cu 5种重金属都主要以残渣态为主,Zn和Cd主要以弱酸提取态为主,Pb以可还原态为主,同时,Co和Cu 2种元素的可交换态及可还原态含量占有较高比例,具有潜在危害性。相关性分析显示,Cr、Cu、Pb、Ni、Zn和Cd 6种重金属元素的来源和分布可能具有相似性,Co和V 2种重金属元素具有相似的地球化学行为且其主要来源可能与其他几种重金属不同。潜在生态风险指数评价结果表明,巢湖表层沉积物中8种重金属元素构成的生态危害顺序为:Cd>Pb>Co>Cu>Ni>Zn>V>Cr,Cd具有高的生态危害等级,其他7种重金属元素均为低生态危害等级。地累积指数法评价结果表明:巢湖沉积物重金属元素的富集程度为Cd>Zn>Pb>Co>Cu>V>Ni>Cr,Cr属于清洁级别,Co、Cu、V和Ni处于轻度污染水平,Zn和Pb处于偏中度污染,Cd达到了重污染水平。     

Heavy metal contamination and risk assessment in water,paddy soil,and rice around an electroplating plant

Purpose  

The objective of this paper is to assess the impact of long-term electroplating industrial activities on heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils and potential health risks for local residents.     

Heavy metals in urban soils of East St. Louis, IL, Part I: Total concentration of heavy metals in soils

The city of East St. Louis, IL, has a history of abundant industrial activities including smelters of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, a coal-fired power plant, companies that produce organic and inorganic chemicals, and petroleum refineries. A protocol for soil analysis was developed to produce sufficient information on the extent of heavy metal contamination in East St. Louis soils. Soil cores representing every borough of East St. Louis were analyzed for heavy metals--As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Zn. The topsoil contained heavy metal concentrations as high as 12.5 ppm Cd, 14,400 ppm Cu, ppm quantities of Hg, 1860 ppm Pb, 40 ppm Sb, 1130 ppm Sn, and 10,360 ppm Zn. Concentrations of Sb, Cu, and Cd were well correlated with Zn concentrations, suggesting a similar primary industrial source. In a sandy loam soil from a vacated rail depot near the bank of the Mississippi River, the metals were evenly distributed down to a 38-cm depth. The clay soils within a half-mile downwind of the Zn smelter and Cu products company contained elevated Cd (81 ppm), Cu (340 ppm), Pb (700 ppm), and Zn (6000 ppm) and displayed a systematic drop in concentration of these metals with depth. This study demonstrates the often high concentration of heavy metals heterogeneously distributed in the soil and provides baseline data for continuing studies of heavy metal soil leachability.     

典型农业活动区土壤重金属污染特征及生态风险评价

联合野外采样和室内分析,以典型农田土壤为研究对象,分析土壤中重金属Cr、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb、As和Hg的含量及污染特征,并采用单因子污染指数法、内梅罗污染指数法及潜在生态危害指数法,对农田土壤进行生态风险评价,同时利用主成分因子分析法,提取出3主因子,分析土壤重金属可能来源。结果表明,研究区农田土壤各重金属含量均高于背景值,表层污染程度高于底层;各重金属单因子污染指数对应污染等级均为清洁,内梅罗污染指数为0.46,污染等级为安全。潜在生态风险评估结果显示,研究区土壤重金属污染的潜在生态风险危害程度为中等,各重金属的潜在生态危害程度依次为Cd> Hg> As> Cu> Pb> Ni> Cr> Zn。主成分因子分析显示,研究区土壤中Hg、As和Cr主要由工业污染源贡献,土壤中Cd、Pb的污染主要来源于不合理的农业生产活动和居民生活,Ni、Zn和Cu与自然成土过程密切相关。综合评价表明,尽管研究区农田土壤目前重金属污染情况较轻,未达到警戒水平,但由于城市化的发展及长期现代化农业耕作活动造成农田土壤重金属的富集,因此,增强农田土壤安全性生产管理、严控土壤污染源与推行标准农业生产是十分必要的。     

Heavy metals in urban soils of East St. Louis, IL. Part II: Leaching characteristics and modeling

The city of East St. Louis, IL, has a history of abundant industrial activities including smelters of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, a coal-fired power plant, companies that produced organic and inorganic chemicals, and petroleum refineries. Following a gross assessment of heavy metals in the community soils (see Part I of this two-part series), leaching tests were performed on specific soils to elucidate heavy metal-associated mineral fractions and general leachability. Leaching experiments, including the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TLCP) and column tests, and sequential extractions, illustrated the low leachability of metals in East St. Louis soils. The column leachate results were modeled using a formulation developed for fly ash leaching. The importance of instantaneous dissolution was evident from the model. By incorporating desorption/adsorption terms into the source term, the model was adapted very well to the time-dependent heavy metal leachate concentrations. The results demonstrate the utility of a simple model to describe heavy metal leaching from contaminated soils.     

Plant uptake and soil retention of radionuclides and metals in vineyard environments

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In most European countries, each adult citizen drinks on average more than 20 L of wine every year. Three popular wine-growing areas (Aleksandrovac,...     

进口再生塑料颗粒重金属浸出特征及健康风险评价

为了评价进口再生塑料颗粒中主要重金属经口摄入的潜在健康风险,选取了5类典型进口再生塑料颗粒,基于美国环保署(US EPA)人体健康风险评估框架,通过检测其在食物模拟液中Hg、Pb、Cr、Cd、Mn和Cu的浸出浓度,对其饮食摄入途径下的致癌/非致癌风险进行量化评价,并采用靶器官毒性剂量(TTD)法对非致癌风险指数进行修正。结果表明,参照我国饮用水标准,Hg、Pb、Cr、Cd和Mn浸出浓度超标倍数分别高达1 243.04、50.06、38.27、3.27和2.96倍,而Cu未超标,总体上存在严重健康风险。致癌风险结果显示,在所有模拟场景下,5种进口再生塑料颗粒中重金属致癌风险指数平均超过可能致癌水平上限70.28倍。非致癌风险结果显示,在所有模拟场景下,5种进口再生塑料颗粒中重金属传统非致癌风险指数和靶器官毒性剂量修正的非致癌风险指数分别平均超过最高上限15.26倍和23.71倍,其中肠胃道、血液、肾脏和神经系统存在不可接受非致癌风险,睾丸、心血管和肝脏不存在非致癌风险。这表明进口再生塑料颗粒所带来潜在健康风险仍需持续关注。     

Metal fractionation in soils and assessment of environmental contamination in Vallecamonica, Italy

Metal contamination was investigated in soils of the Vallecamonica, an area in the northern part of the Brescia province (Italy), where ferroalloy industries were active for a century until 2001. The extent in which emissions from ferroalloy plants affected metal concentration in soils is not known in this area. In this study, the geogenic and/or anthropogenic origin of metals in soils were estimated. A modified Community Bureau of Reference sequential chemical extraction method followed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analyses were employed to evaluate the potential bioavailability of Al, Cd, Mn, Fe, Cr, Zn, and Pb in soils. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the relationships among metal sources in soil samples from different locations. This approach allowed distinguishing of different loadings and mobility of metals in soils collected in different areas. Results showed high concentrations and readily extractability of Mn in the Vallecamonica soils, which may suggest potential bioavailability for organisms and may create an environmental risk and potential health risk of human exposure.     

Landscape ecology of the Guanting Reservoir, Beijing, China: multivariate and geostatistical analyses of metals in soils

Surface soil samples were collected from 52 sites around Guanting Reservoir in Beijing, China, and contents of 'total' metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, As, Ni and Cr) were determined. The results indicate that the degree of heavy metal pollution in the soils declines in the order of Cd>Cr>Zn>As>Cu>Ni>Pb. Based on the results of a combination of multivariate statistics and geostatiscal analyses, it was concluded that land application of phosphate fertilizer, wastewater and sludge were the primary sources of Cd and Zn in soils. Whereas As, Cu, Cr and Ni in some soils were due to natural rock weathering. The sources of Pb in soils only partially originated from land application of phosphate fertilizer, but mainly from vehicle exhaust. The greatest concentrations of all metals, except for Pb, were found in Huailai County and the towns of Yanghedaqiao and Guanting.     

Organic compounds and trace metals of anthropogenic origin in sediments from Montego Bay,Jamaica: assessment of sources and distribution pathways

Surface sediments throughout Montego Bay, Jamaica were collected in 1995 and analyzed for their trace metal and trace organic contaminant content. A variety of trace metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, coprostanol as well as chlorinated hydrocarbons such as pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls were detected and provide evidence for several anthropogenic inputs to the bay. Two main sources of these chemicals are the Montego River and the North Gully, the latter being more significant. Particle-associated pollutants were found to be distributed along the Montego River plume, as well as being transported by the prevailing water currents to the South-Western sections of the bay, probably through re-suspension of enriched fine sediments from the North Gully outfall area.     

PCB contamination in soils of the Pearl River Delta, South China: levels, sources, and potential risks

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination in tropical and sub-tropical areas and the associated risks have attracted great concern. A total of 69 samples representing five distinct land types were collected to assess PCB concentrations in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China, including spatial distributions in soils of the area, the probable anthropogenic sources, and related potential risks. PCBs concentrations in soils of the PRD ranged from 0.3 to 202 ng?g^?1. More severe PCBs contamination was presented in the western part than in the eastern part of the PRD region. The PCBs were dominated by low-chlorinated biphenyls; however, the proportion of higher-chlorinated biphenyls was elevated with the influence of industrial activities. Principal component analysis indicated that PCBs contamination in soils of the PRD region was mainly associated with 1#PCBs, while 2#PCB and e-waste emission in South China also accounted for it partly, especially to the industrial activity severely impacted areas. Toxic equivalent (TEQ) of the dioxin-like PCBs in the soils indicated that higher risk of PCB contamination was presented in the Dongjiang River Valley (55 ng?TEQ?kg^?1, on average) than in the Xijiang River Valley, and were mostly contributed by the congener of PCB126.     

Heavy metals in agricultural soils of the Pearl River Delta,South China

There is a growing public concern over the potential accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils in China owing to rapid urban and industrial development and increasing reliance on agrochemicals in the last several decades. Excessive accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils may not only result in environmental contamination, but elevated heavy metal uptake by crops may also affect food quality and safety. The present study is aimed at studying heavy metal concentrations of crop, paddy and natural soils in the Pearl River Delta, one of the most developed regions in China. In addition, some selected soil samples were analyzed for chemical partitioning of Co, Cu, Pb and Zn. The Pb isotopic composition of the extracted solutions was also determined. The analytical results indicated that the crop, paddy and natural soils in many sampling sites were enriched with Cd and Pb. Furthermore, heavy metal enrichment was most significant in the crop soils, which might be attributed to the use of agrochemicals. Flooding of the paddy soils and subsequent dissolution of Mn oxides may cause the loss of Cd and Co through leaching and percolation, resulting in low Cd and Co concentrations of the paddy soils. The chemical partitioning patterns of Pb, Zn and Cu indicated that Pb was largely associated with the Fe-Mn oxide and residual fractions, while Zn was predominantly found in the residual phase. A significant percent fraction of Cu was bound in the organic/sulphide and residual phases. Based on the 206Pb/207Pb ratios of the five fractions, it was evident that some of the soils were enriched with anthropogenic Pb, such as industrial and automobile Pb. The strong associations between anthropogenic Pb and the Fe-Mn oxide and organic/sulphide phases suggested that anthropogenic Pb was relatively stable after deposition in soils.     

Mobility of heavy metals as related to soil chemical and mineralogical characteristics of Brazilian soils

In order to better understand the relationship between soil characteristics and mobility of some heavy metals, correlation studies were conducted in samples of unlimed and limed A, B and C horizons of three Brazilian soils, representative of the majority of the tropical soils. A number of chemical and mineralogical characteristics of one Oxisol and two Ultisols were related to the retardation factors (Rf) for zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb). The retardation factors, obtained in leaching column experiments, were used as an estimate of solute movement in the profile. Soil types and soil horizons were found to influence metal retardation factors which, in turn, correlated better with the chemical than the mineralogical soil characteristics. For the unlimed soil samples, the soil characteristics that significantly correlated with Zn-Rf and Cd-Rf were the sum of exchangeable bases (SB), and soil exchangeable (Ca-KCl) and non-exchangeable (Ca-HCl) calcium contents. These results showed the strong influence of the cation exchange phenomenon on the retention and mobility of these two metals. For Cu and Pb, not only SB, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and Ca-KCl and Ca-HCl but also the organic matter correlated well with the Rf, showing that complex or chelate formation may play an important role in the movement of these elements. The important soil chemical characteristics related to the retardation factors in the limed soil samples were SB for Cd, and Ca-HCl for Cu and Pb, suggesting that precipitation may also influence the mobility and retention of the latter two heavy metals in these soil samples. Soil pH influenced the heavy metals adsorption and movement as shown by the significant correlation with the retardation factors when the combined data for the unlimed and limed soil samples was considered.     

Heavy metal contamination of roadside soils in the Greater Athens area

The airborne contamination of roadside soils with Pb, Cd, Zn and Ni was evaluated for the Greater Athens Area of Greece. High levels of lead enrichment were found in the upper 0-5 cm soil layer along roads with heavy traffic loads. The central section of the study area appeared to have soils with the highest levels of lead enrichment. The contamination decreased exponentially with the distance from the road edge and dropped to a background level at about 50 m. Most of the lead was concentrated in the upper 5 cm of the soil and was associated with carbonates and crystalline oxides. The main source of contamination was automobile exhausts. Roadside soils were also enriched with airborne Cd and Zn, but to a lesser degree than with Pb. The enrichment of the soil with these two elements fell rapidly and exponentially with distance. No evidence of Ni contamination of roadside soils was obtained.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban soils of Beijing: status, sources, distribution and potential risk

We studied the source, concentration, spatial distribution and health risk of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban soils of Beijing. The total mass concentration of 16 PAHs ranged from 93 to 13 141 μg kg⁻¹ with a mean of 1228 μg kg⁻¹. The contour map of soil PAH concentrations showed that the industrial zone, the historical Hutong district and the university district of Beijing have significantly higher concentrations than those in remainder of the city. The results of sources identification suggested that the primary sources of PAHs were vehicle exhaust and coal combustion and the secondary source was the atmospheric deposition of long-range transported PAHs. The incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) of exposing to PAHs in the urban soils of Beijing for adult were 1.77 × 10⁻⁶ and 2.48 × 10⁻⁵, respectively under normal and extreme conditions. For child, they were 8.87 × 10⁻⁷ and 6.72 × 10⁻⁶, respectively under normal and extreme conditions.     

不同土壤重金属复合污染的有效态离子冲量表征

选择红壤、黄棕壤和潮土为对象，依据中国土壤环境质量二级和三级标准确定土壤重金属铜、锌、镉的污染浓度，通过生物盆裁试验研究在重金属Cu、Zn、Cd复合污染条件下牧草（黑麦草、紫花苜蓿）体内重金属含量和土壤中重金属有效态含量的相关性，结果表明，在3种不同性质的污染土壤上，牧草体内重金属的离子冲量与其对应土壤中重金属有效态的离子冲量之间均存在明显的相关性。校正土壤pH、牧草品种等因素后，土壤有效态离子冲量可以有效表征不同土壤-牧草系统的重金属复合污染。     

Heavy metals in playgrounds in Lublin (E Poland): sources,pollution levels and health risk

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the paper, the pollution of playgrounds in Lublin with heavy metals was assessed. Since playgrounds are a place of activity of children—the...