Pollution Levels and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals from Atmospheric Deposition in Nanjing

Abstract

In order to evaluate the pollution levels of and risk from heavy metals in the atmospheric deposition of different functional urban districts, dust samples were collected from 20 sampling sites in typical industrial, traffic, residential, and educational districts of Nanjing. The concentrations of As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Ti, V, and Zn were analyzed. The potential ecological risk and health risk were evaluated using the potential ecological risk index and U.S. EPA's health risk assessment models. Enrichment factors, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis were used to analyze the sources of heavy metals. Results showed that the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn were the highest in the industrial district and the concentrations of Ba, Ni, Ti, and V were the highest in the traffic district. The value of the potential ecological risk index was the highest in the industrial district and lowest in the educational district. Meanwhile, the ecological risk of Cr was the highest, achieving a moderate ecological hazard level. None of the studied heavy metals had noncarcinogenic risk or carcinogenic risk, according to the results of health risk assessment. Source analysis indicated that heavy metals in the atmospheric deposition from the study areas were mainly from traffic and industrial activities, coal combustion, natural process and life sources.