Abstract
Contamination with the eight elements, Hg, As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cd, is a serious concern in Zhongshan, which is a typical light industrial city, China. 60 surface soil samples were collected to investigate the concentrations, spatial distribution, human health risk, and sources of these elements in the soils in Zhongshan. The concentrations of the eight elements were analyzed while using ordinary kriging analysis, pollution load index (PLI), potential ecological risk index (RI), human health risk, correlation analysis, and factor analysis. The mean concentrations of the tested elements, excluding Pb and As, were higher than the soil background values in the Pearl River Delta. The spatial distribution of the tested elements revealed a zonal distribution pattern and high values in several areas. The mean PLI and RI indicated slight and moderate risk levels. Health risk assessment demonstrates that both children and adults were more exposed to Cu than to Cr, As, and Cd. However, the associated carcinogenic risk is acceptable. Hg that originated from human activities; As, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Cd originated from industrial activities; and, Pb and Zn originated from transportation activities. Cd was the main pollutant in the study area and it was present at higher concentrations when compared with those of the other elements. Therefore, Zhongshan should encourage enterprises to conduct industrial transformation to control the ecological risk.
Highlights
IntroductionElemental pollution has gradually become a key factor that threatens the soil ecological environment and endangers human health [1,2]
With global socioeconomic development, elemental pollution has gradually become a key factor that threatens the soil ecological environment and endangers human health [1,2]
The coefficient of variation indicates the discrete characteristics of the statistical data and it is a key parameter for measuring the distribution of an element in the soil
Summary
Elemental pollution has gradually become a key factor that threatens the soil ecological environment and endangers human health [1,2]. The pollution of these elements in the soil is a source of global concern [3,4]. Elemental pollutants can enter the human body through ingestion, dermal contact, or breathing, and they can threaten health [6,7]. Low concentrations of these elements can cause various health issues, such as renal dysfunction, endocrine disorders, reproductive dysfunctions, and cancers [8,9]. The study of the spatial distribution, ecological risks, and sources of these elements in soil is required [10,11]
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