Analysis and evaluation of heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils in six cities of Hunan Province, China

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Abstract
Environmental problems caused by the exploitation of mineral resources are worsening, especially the heavy metal pollution in soil. Food safety caused by heavy metal pollution in soil has become the focus of increasing attention.Sampling points were selected in Hunan Province. By sampling the soil and rice point by point, the total concentration and the concontration in rice were monitored. The results showed that the mean concentration of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn were 1.31 mg/kg, 45.3 mg/kg, 0.61 mg/kg, 49.15 mg/kg and 133.3 mg/kg. The soils were contaminated in some parts of the 85 investigated sites in Hunan Province.Also, the analysis results showed that the average of PI (pollution index) descended in the order of Cd (2.58) > Hg (1.05) > Cu (0.52)> Zn (0.51)> Pb (0.41).The NIPI values of the research area were 28.59, belong to the high-level pollution, which mainly caused by Cd. The pollution ratio of soil samples were 100.0% in Zhuzhou-Xiangtan and Changning, 94.1%, 90.9% and 88.2% in Changde, Yiyang and Yongzhou. According to the potential ecological risk evaluation result, there was a medium level risk in the investigation area of Hunan and the potential ecological risk mainly caused by Cd.