Abstract
To appraise the content and pollution level of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) in bus stop dusts, representative samples (n = 53) were collected from the city of Qingyang in Gansu province, NW China. The Cd, As, Hg, Ni, and Pb contents and physicochemical properties (particle size, organic matter, pH and magnetic properties) of the bus stop dusts were investigated. Pollution levels were evaluated by the Nemero synthesis pollution index (NSPI) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo). The results indicate that the magnetic susceptibilities of the bus stop dusts were higher than those in the local soils. Cd, As, Ni, and Pb contents ranged from 0.4 to 3.1, 7.1 to 16.3, 12.7 to 151.3, and 20.1 to 96.2 mg kg−1, with average values of 1.2, 10.1, 22.2, and 44.9 mg kg−1, while Hg content ranged from 4.5 to 1357.7 µg kg−1 with an average of 214.0 µg kg−1. The mean contents of Cd, As, Hg, Ni, and Pb were 12.0, 0.8, 10.0, 0.6, and 2.4 times the local soil background value, respectively. Cd, Hg and Pb in approximately 96%, 62% and 19% of the bus stop dusts were above the “moderately polluted” level in terms of Igeo. As and Ni were defined as “practically unpolluted” in all of the bus stop dusts. The NSPI values of all of the bus stop dust samples exceeded 3, which reveals overall serious contamination of harmful elements.
Highlights
The high contents of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) in bus stop dusts pose a potential threat to commuters and pedestrians
The pH values ranged from 6.8 to 12.0, which were higher than the pH of the local soil (8.3)[21]
The pH of the bus stop dusts is slightly higher than the background value of Gansu soil
Summary
The high contents of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) in bus stop dusts pose a potential threat to commuters and pedestrians. Fossil fuels (coal, fuel oil, etc.), which contain these toxic elements, were combusted in large quantities during the industrialization and urbanization of China and are still the main source of energy in the city of Qingyang in eastern Gansu province. The purpose of this study is to analyse the content of Cd, As, Hg, Ni and Pb in bus stop dusts from Qingyang and apply Igeo and NSPI to classify the contamination levels of Cd, As, Hg, Ni and Pb in different bus stop dusts These results could be used to establish layouts and quantities of bus stops and formulate appropriate environmental management and planning policies according to bus stop pollution, population and traffic volume, production and living conditions by the municipal department. Our government and authorities could reasonably plan locations and quantities of bus stops, bus routes, etc.; adopt mitigation policies; and control measures to better maintain the “blue sky plan” in the Qingyang region
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