Spatial distribution and health risk assessment of heavy metals in provincial capital cities, China

Abstract

Heay metal concentrations in the urban soils of 31 provincial capital cities in China were collected based on the published papers to explore patterns of spatial distribution and evaluate human health risks. The results demonstrated that the average metal concentrations were 0.43 (Cd), 44.75 (Pb), 66.85 (Cr), 32.48 (Ni), 39.59 (Cu), 116.15 (Zn), 0.21 (Hg), 12.44 (As) mg·kg-1. Four patterns of spatial distribution were found, and the cities with relatively high concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Zn) were distributed in the southwestern and southern coastal regions as well as Changchun region in northeastern China. Hazard Quotient value for each metal and Hazard Index values for all the metals indicated no significant risk of non-carcinogenic effects to children and adults in urban soils of 31 provincial capital cities in China. The probabilities of As posing carcinogenic risks to children were not accpetable in Nanning (>10-4), but were accpetable (10-6-10-4) to children and adults in the other cities.