Abstract
Coal is a vital basic energy source in China, and rail serving is its major mode of transportation. Heavy metals in street dust surrounding the coal railway do harm to the environment and pose a potential risk to human health. This paper aims to identify the effects of coal transportation hubs on heavy metals in street dust. The geoaccumulation index and ecological risk index were used to assess the contamination levels of the following elements in Yuanping, Shanxi: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). The levels of contamination of these heavy metals in soils were compared to those in street dust, and the difference between the railway’s and mining’s impacts on dust’s heavy-metal concentrations was explored. The results indicated that Cr and Pb in street dust were mainly affected by coal railway transportation, and the interaction effect of coal railway transportation and mining was greater than either of them alone. A potential control and prevention zone for Cr and Pb extending 1 km to both sides of the railway was identified. This work proves that coal railway transportation has certain effect on heavy metals in street dust and provides a scientific approach for future environmental impact assessments of coal transportation via railway.
Highlights
China is rich in coal resources, and coal remains a basic energy source there [1,2,3], securing it a significant position in the national economy
By identifying the impact of the coal transportation railway in Yuanping on the heavy-metal pollution in street dust, the results demonstrated that Cr and Pb concentrations in street dust were affected by the railway and the impact of coal transportation via railway on heavy metals in surrounding areas is a significant concern
The results showed that Cr and Pb were mainly affected by coal railway transportation, and the railway–mines interaction effect was stronger than either of the factors acting alone
Summary
China is rich in coal resources, and coal remains a basic energy source there [1,2,3], securing it a significant position in the national economy. China’s coal production is mainly located in the northern. The demand for coal is concentrated in the economically developed, coastal areas of eastern. An abundance of coal is transported over long distances. At present, it is transported mainly by waterway, highway, and railway, with railway being the major mode of transportation [6] due to its large-volume capacity, ability to cover long distances, high speed, and freedom from interference by climatic conditions. As more coal accumulates in the coal transportation hubs, one expects a higher concentration of heavy metals in the areas surrounding these hubs, which does harm to the environment. Leakage, and the effect of wind [7]
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