Distributions, Source and Pollution Status of Heavy Metals of Urban Soil in Xining, China

Authors:
  • LHLi Han
    Li Han
  • YLYun Li
    Yun Li
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Abstract
In recent years, the topsoil has suffered from remarkable heavy metal contamination with a rapid development of urbanization and industrialization in Xining. However, there are less detailed studies on the heavy metals contamination in Xining topsoil. We collected 40 soils samples from the upper 5 cm of the soil layer and detected the concentrations of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, As, Sb, Cr, Ni in the soil by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and that of Hg was tested by mercury detector. Compared with Chinese other part of soil, the concentrations of heavy metals in urban soils of Xining were significantly higher, and the average values of Zn, Cd, Sb, Pb and Hg were 9.13, 72.96, 5.30, 6.13, and 8.23 times as high as their corresponding background values, respectively. On the basis of the results of the correlation coefficient analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), the spatial distribution pattern analysis and heavy metal ratio analysis, we discovered that Hg, As, Cu, Sb, Pb, Cd and Zn had similar patterns, and their hotspots were primarily associated with three industrial districts in Xining, especially the Ganhe Industrial District in the southwest of Xining, while Cr and Ni mainly came from the natural source (loess around Xining). Heavy metal enrichment factor (EF) further confirms the source identification and degree of contamination. Moreover, the wind direction analysis shows the southwest and northwest winds transport lots of pollutions from the industry districts to the urban zones. The results of this paper clearly highlight that all people in xining are in sore need of pulling together to control industrial emissions/site, and meanwhile remedy seriously contaminated urban soils.

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