Abstract
Residents in industrial cities may be exposed to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil that increase chronic disease risks. In this study, six types of PTEs (Zn, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Pb) in 112 surface soil samples from three land use types—industrial land, residential land, and farmland—in Tonghua City, Jilin Province were measured. The geological accumulation index and pollution load index were calculated to assess the pollution level of metal. Meanwhile, the potential ecological risk index, hazard index, and carcinogenic risk were calculated to assess the environmental risks. The spatial distribution map was determined by the ordinary kriging method, and the sources of PTEs were identified by factor analysis and cluster analysis. The average concentrations of Zn, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Pb were 266.57, 15.72, 72.41, 15.04, 20.52, and 16.30 mg/kg, respectively. The results of the geological accumulation index demonstrated the following: Zn pollution was present in all three land use types, As pollution in industrial land cannot be neglected, Cr pollution in farmland was higher than that in the other two land use types. The pollution load index decreased in the order of industrial land > farmland > residential land. Multivariate statistical analysis divided the six PTEs into three groups by source: Zn and As both originated from industrial activities; vehicle emissions were the main source of Pb; and Ni and Cu were derived from natural parent materials. Meanwhile, Cr was found to come from a mixture of artificial and natural sources. The soil environment in the study area faced ecological risk from moderate pollution levels mainly contributed by As. PTEs did not pose a non-carcinogenic risk to humans; however, residents of the three land use types all faced estimated carcinogenic risks caused by Cr, and As in industrial land also posed high estimated carcinogenic risk to human health. The conclusion of this article provides corresponding data support to the government’s policy formulation of remediating different types of land and preventing exposure and related environmental risks.
Highlights
Industrial cities are well known for promoting a mixture of heavy industry and light industry while making significant use of mineral resources
The average concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were found in decreasing order of industrial land > farmland > residential land, and the concentrations of Zn, Cr, and As were found to be higher
The results of the pollution assessment illustrated that Zn pollution carried the greatest health risk in the entire soil environment of the study area, and the pollution of As in industrial land and Cr in farmland deserve considerable attention
Summary
Industrial cities are well known for promoting a mixture of heavy industry and light industry while making significant use of mineral resources. This means that more frequent human activities, such as factory operations, pesticides, and fertilizers, and mining activities would lead to the soil in industrial cities being exposed to higher hazards of potentially toxic elements (PETs) [1]. Long-term accumulation of cadmium causes osteoporosis and renal tubular injury [12]; damage to nerves, bones, and the immune system of human body results from the excessive intake of lead; and excessive zinc leads to nausea, vomiting, and even stomach cramps. To avoid the threat of PTEs to the ecological environment and human health, it is very crucial to analyze the content of PTEs in the soil and assess the risks
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