Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation and analysis of heavy metals in iron and steel industrial area

  • Published:
Environment, Development and Sustainability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution has attracted more attention due to the toxicity and migration characteristics, which has close relationship with soil environment and food safety. Typical heavy metal pollutants, copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, chromium, nickel, arsenic and mercury, have been investigated in Jinan Steel Plant located in Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China. The indexes of Nemerow, geo-accumulation, and potential ecological risk were applied to evaluate the soil pollution. Spatial distribution and vertical migration characteristics were also detected and analyzed. The pollution is mainly concentrated in (1) coke processing plant, (2) blast furnace and (3) stock area. According to the concentration index, Zn and Cr were selected as main pollutants; however, Hg and Pb play directly and indirectly roles in soil pollution based on evaluation system. The analysis in vertical direction indicated that heavy metals showed a certain migration and transformation ability. Moreover, heavy metals predominately existed in the residual fraction on the surface and the middle profile. The bioavailable fraction of Pb and Hg accounts relatively higher proportion, which could threaten human health along the food chain. In the process of heavy metal pollution evaluation and analysis, we should not only pay attention to high concentrations of heavy metals, but also focus on heavy metals with high toxicity and strong migration-transformation capability, which need real-time monitoring and assessment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aboubakar, A., Douaik, A., Mewouo, Y., Madong, R., & Hajjaji, S. E. (2021). Determination of background values and assessment of pollution and ecological risk of heavy metals in urban agricultural soils of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 21, 1437–1454.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amundson, R., Berhe, A. A., Hopmans, J. W., Olson, C., Sztein, A. E., & Sparks, D. L. (2015). Soil and human security in the 21st century. Science, 348(6235), 1261071

  • Atanassova, D., Stefanova, V., & Russeva, E. (1998). Co-precipitative pre-concentration with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and ICP-AES determination of Se, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe Co, Ni, Mn, Cr and Cd in water. Talanta, 47(5), 1237–1243.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baos, R., Jovani, R., Forero, M. G., Tella, J. L., Gómez, G., Jiménez, B., González, M., & Hiraldo, F. (2006). Relationships between T-cell-mediated immune response and Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, and As concentrations in blood of nestling white storks (Ciconia ciconia) and black kites (Milvus migrans) from Doñana (southwestern Spain) after the Aznalcóllar toxic spill. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 25(4), 1153–1159.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Batista, B. L., Nacano, L. R., Freitas, R. D., Oliveira-Souza, V., & Barbosa, F. (2012). Determination of essential (Ca, Fe, I, K, Mo) and toxic elements (Hg, Pb) in Brazilian rice grains and estimation of reference daily intake. Food & Nutrition Sciences, 3(1), 129–134.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharyya, K. G., & Mahanta, M. J. (2014). Accumulation of Cd Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in urban soil and their mobility characteristics. Advances in Environmental Research, 3(4), 321–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boening, D. W. (2000). Ecological effects, transport, and fate of mercury: A general review. Chemosphere, 40(12), 1335–1351.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brady, J. P., Ayoko, G. A., Martens, W. N., & Goonetilleke, A. (2014). Enrichment, distribution and sources of heavy metals in the sediments of Deception Bay, Queensland, Australia. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 81(1).

  • Cui, X., Geng, Y., Sun, R., Xie, M., Cui, Z. (2021). Distribution, speciation and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in Jinan Iron & Steel Group soils from China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 295(4), 126504.

  • Dietrich, M., Huling, J., & Krekeler, M. (2018). Metal pollution investigation of Goldman Park, Middletown Ohio: Evidence for steel and coal pollution in a high child use setting. The Science of the Total Environment, 618(15), 1350–1362.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dietrich, M., Wolfe, A., Burke, M., & Krekeler, M. P. S. (2019). The first pollution investigation of road sediment in Gary, Indiana: Anthropogenic metals and possible health implications for a socioeconomically disadvantaged area. Environment International, 128, 175–192.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Du, Y. J., Wei, M. L., Reddy, K. R., Fei, J., Wu, H. L., & Liu, Z. B. (2014). New phosphate-based binder for stabilization of soils contaminated with heavy metals: Leaching, strength and microstructure characterization. Journal of Environmental Management, 146(5), 179–188.

  • Duodu, G. O., Goonetilleke, A., & Ayoko, G. A. (2016). Comparison of pollution indices for the assessment of heavy metal in Brisbane River sediment. Environmental Pollution, 219, 1077–1091.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu, Y., Li, F., Guo, S., & Zhao, M. (2021). Cadmium concentration and its typical input and output fluxes in agricultural soil downstream of a heavy metal sewage irrigation area. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 412(10), 125203.

  • Gan, Y., Huang, X., Li, S., Liu, N., Li, Y. C., Freidenreich, A., Wang, W., Wang, R., & Dai, J. (2019). Source quantification and potential risk of mercury, cadmium, arsenic, lead, and chromium in farmland soils of Yellow River Delta. Journal of Cleaner Production, 221(1), 98–107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García, R., Díaz-Somoano, M., Calvo, M., López-Antón, M., Suárez, S., Ruiz, I. S., & Martínez-Tarazona, M. (2012). Impact of a semi-industrial coke processing plant in the surrounding surface soil. Part II: PAH content. Fuel Processing Technology, 104, 245–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greiner, L., Keller, A., Grêt-Regamey, A., & Papritz, A. (2017). Soil function assessment: Review of methods for quantifying the contributions of soils to ecosystem services. Land Use Policy the International Journal Covering All Aspects of Land Use, 69, 224–237.

  • Herrera, J., Thomsen, S. T., Jakobsen, L. S., Fagt, S., & Pires, S. M. (2021). The burden of disease of three food-associated heavy metals in clusters in the Danish population—towards targeted public health strategies. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 150(11), 112072.

  • Hou, S. N., Zheng, N., Tang, L., Ji, X. F., Li, Y. Y., & Hua, X. Y. (2019). Pollution characteristics, sources, and health risk assessment of human exposure to Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb pollution in urban street dust across China between 2009 and 2018. Environment International, 128, 430–437.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, Y., Wang, L., Wang, W., Li, T., He, Z., & Yang, X. (2018). Current status of agricultural soil pollution by heavy metals in China: A meta-analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 651(2), 3034–3042.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ik, A., & Ru, B. (2019). Environmental risk assessment of coal fly ash on soil and groundwater quality, Aligarh, India—ScienceDirect. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 8, 346–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalyvas, G., Gasparatos, D., Liza, C. A., & Massas, I. (2020). Single and combined effect of chelating, reductive agents, and agro-industrial by-product treatments on As, Pb, and Zn mobility in a mine-affected soil over time. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 27(5), 5536–5546.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, V., Sharma, A., Kaur, P., Sidhu, G., Bali, A. S., Bhardwaj, R., Thukral, A. K., & Cerda, A. (2019). Pollution assessment of heavy metals in soils of India and ecological risk assessment: A state-of-the-art. Chemosphere, 216, 449–462.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Zhou, S., Jia, Z., Liu, K., & Wang, G. (2021). Temporal and spatial distributions and sources of heavy metals in atmospheric deposition in western Taihu Lake, China. Environmental Pollution, 284, 117465.

  • Liu, B., Huang, Q., Cai, H., Guo, X., & Gui, M. (2017). Distribution and speciation of chromium and cadmium in an organic and inorganic fertilized chernozem. Pedosphere, 27(6).

  • Long, X., Phla, B., Xfja, B., & Pjc, C. Health risk assessment and spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metal pollution in rice samples from a surrounding hydrometallurgy plant area in No. 721 uranium mining, East China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 207, 106360–106360.

  • Luo, Y., Shen, J., Chen, A., Tao, Q., & Wang, C. (2021). Loss of organic carbon in suburban soil upon urbanization of Chengdu megacity, China. Science of the Total Environment, 785(162), 147209.

  • Mao, S., Gu, W., Bai, J., Dong, B., Huang, Q., Zhao, J., Zhuang, X., Zhang, C., Yuan, W., & Wang, J. (2020). Migration of heavy metal in electronic waste plastics during simulated recycling on a laboratory scale. Chemosphere, 245, 125641–125648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naffaa, V., Laprévote, O., & Schang, A. L. (2021). Effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on myelin development and diseases. Neurotoxicology, 83(3), 51–68.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nascimento, C., Hesterberg, D., Tappero, R. (2020). Effects of exogenous citric acid on the concentration and spatial distribution of Ni, Zn, Co, Cr, Mn and Fe in leaves of Noccaea caerulescens grown on a serpentine soil. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 398, 122992.

  • Nikonov, V., Goryainova, V., & Lukina, N. (2001). Ni and Cu migration and accumulation in forest ecosystems on the Kola Peninsula. Chemosphere, 42(1), 93–100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pang, X., Dai, J., Chen, L., Liu, H., Chao, Y. U., Han, L., Ren, T., Xueping, H. U., Wang, H., & Wang, Z. (2019). Soil geochemical background value of 17 cities in Shandong Province. Shandong Land and Resources, 1, 1–6.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qin, G., Niu, Z., Yu, J., Li, Z., & Xiang, P. (2021). Soil heavy metal pollution and food safety in China: Effects, sources and removing technology. Chemosphere, 267, 129205.

  • Rasool, B., Mahmoodur-Rahman, R. P., Zubair, M., & Iqbal, M. (2021). Impacts of oxalic acid-activated phosphate rock and root-induced changes on lead bioavailability in rhizosphere and distribution in mung bean plant. Environmental Pollution, 10, 116903.

  • Sinaei, M., Zare, R., Matin, M. T., & Ghasemzadeh, J. (2021). Marine debris and trace metal (Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn) pollution in the stranded Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas). Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 10, 80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tessier, A. P., Campbell, P., & Bisson, M. X. (1979). Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate trace metals. Analytical Chemistry, 51(7), 844–851.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, D., Lucie, G., Armin, K., & Adrienne, G. R. (2018). Soil quality indicators—from soil functions to ecosystem services. Ecological Indicators, 94, 151–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trinkel, V., Kieberger, N., Buergler, T., Rechberger, H., & Fellner, J. (2015). Influence of waste plastic utilisation in blast furnace on heavy metal emissions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 94, 312–320.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valente, A. (2019). Assessment of heavy metal pollution from anthropogenic activities and remediation strategies: A review. Journal of Environmental Management, 246.

  • Vengosh, A., Jackson, R. B., Warner, N., Darrah, T. H., & Kondash, A. (2014). A critical review of the risks to water resources from unconventional shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing in the United States. Environmental Science & Technology, 48(15), 8334–8348.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, F., Wang, X., & Song, N. (2021). Biochar and vermicompost improve the soil properties and the yield and quality of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) grown in plastic shed soil continuously cropped for different years. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 315, 107425.

  • Xiao, R., Wang, P., Mi, S., Ali, A., Liu, X., Li, Y., Guan, W., Li, R., & Zhang, Z. (2019). Effects of crop straw and its derived biochar on the mobility and bioavailability in Cd and Zn in two smelter-contaminated alkaline soils. Ecotoxicology & Environmental Safety, 181, 155–163.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Q., Li, Z., Lu, X., Duan, Q., Lei, H., & Bi, J. (2018). A review of soil heavy metal pollution from industrial and agricultural regions in China: Pollution and risk assessment. Science of the Total Environment, 642(15), 690–700.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan, Z., Luo, T., Liu, X., Hua, H., Zhuang, Y., Zhang, X., Zhang, L., Zhang, Y., Xu, W., & Ren, J. (2019). Tracing anthropogenic cadmium emissions: From sources to pollution. Science of the Total Environment, 676(1), 87–96.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng, S., Ma, J., Yang, Y., Zhang, S., Liu, G. J., & Chen, F. (2019). Spatial assessment of farmland soil pollution and its potential human health risks in China. Science of the Total Environment, 687(OCT.15), 642–653.

  • Zhang, X., Yang, H., & Cui, Z. (2017). Migration and speciation of heavy metal in salinized mine tailings affected by iron mining. Water Science & Technology, 1867–1874.

  • Zhang, X., Yang, H., & Cui, Z. (2018). Evaluation and analysis of soil migration and distribution characteristics of heavy metals in iron tailings. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 475–480.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, X., Yang, H., Schaufelberger, M., Li, X., & Ren, Z. (2020). Role of flavonol synthesized by nucleus FLS1 in Arabidopsis resistance to Pb stress. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68(36), 9646–9653.

  • Zhou, T., Bo, X., Qu, J., Wang, L., Zhou, J., & Li, S. (2019). Characteristics of PCDD/Fs and metals in surface soil around an iron and steel plant in North China Plain. Chemosphere, 216, 413–418.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support received from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51708335), the Major Basic Research Project of Shandong Basic Natural Science Fund (2018C23), the Doctoral Research Fund of Shandong Jianzhu University (X20007Z0101), the Doctoral Research Fund of Qilu Normal University. The authors would like to thank Rulong Gong for the drawing technical support. The authors would like to thank all the anonymous referees for their constructive comments and suggestions.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Xu Zhang and Huanhuan yang contribute equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China

    Xu Zhang

  2. School of Life Sciences, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, 250200, China

    Huanhuan Yang

  3. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China

    Ruirui Sun & Meihua Cui

  4. Lunan Geo-Engineering Exploration Institute of Shandong Province, Yanzhou, 272100, China

    Ning Sun & Shouwen Zhang

Authors
  1. Xu Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Huanhuan Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ruirui Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Meihua Cui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ning Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Shouwen Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ruirui Sun.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 14 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, X., Yang, H., Sun, R. et al. Evaluation and analysis of heavy metals in iron and steel industrial area. Environ Dev Sustain 24, 10997–11010 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01893-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01893-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation