Skip to main content

Potentially toxic trace element contamination, sources, and pollution assessment in farmlands, Bijie City, southwestern China

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 189, Article number: 25 (2017) Cite this article

Abstract

Artisanal zinc smelting activities, which had been widely applied in Bijie City, Guizhou Province, southwestern of China, can pollute surrounding farmlands. In the present study, 177 farmland topsoil samples of Bijie City were collected and 11 potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs), namely Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, V, Hg, As, and Cd were tested to characterize the concentrations, sources, and ecological risks. Mean concentrations of these PTEs in soils were (mg/kg) as follows: Pb (127), Zn (379), Cu (93.1), Ni (54.6), Co (26.2), Mn (1095), Cr (133), V (206), Hg (0.15), As (16.2), and Cd (3.08). Pb, Zn, and Cd had coefficients of variation greater than 100% and showed a high uneven distribution and spatial variability in the study area. Correlation coefficient analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to quantify potential pollution sources. Results showed that Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, and V came from natural sources, whereas Pb, Zn, Hg, As, and Cd came from anthropogenic pollution sources. Geoaccumulation index and potential ecological risk indices were employed to study the pollution degree of PTEs, which revealed that Pb and Cd shared the greatest contamination and would pose serious ecological risks to the surrounding environment. The results of this study could help the local government managers to establish pollution control strategies and to secure food safety.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Bi, X. Y., Feng, X. B., Yang, Y. G., Qiu, G., Li, G., Li, F., et al. (2006). Environmental contamination of heavy metals from zinc smelting areas in Hezhang County, western Guizhou, China. Environment International, 32(7), 883–890.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, L. Q., Stephen, Y., Sun, C. S., Cai, X. D., & Zhang, R. Z. (2015). GIS-based assessment of arable layer pollution of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in Baiyin District of Gansu Province. Environmental Earth Sciences, 74(1), 803–811.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chai, Y., Guo, J., Chai, S. l., Cai, J., Xue, L. F., & Zhang, Q. W. (2015). Source identification of eight heavy metals in grassland soils by multivariate analysis from the Baicheng–Songyuan area, Jilin Province, northeast China. Chemosphere, 134(0), 67–75.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Z. Z., Xie, X. J., Pan, H. J., & Yang, R. (2014). Elemental concentrations of stream sediments in southern China. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 38(2), 211–223.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dudka, S., & Adriano, D. C. (1997). Environmental impacts of metal ore mining and processing: a review. Journal of Environmental Quality, 26(3), 590–602.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feng, X. B., Li, G. H., & Qiu, G. L. (2006). A preliminary study on mercury contamination to the environment from artisanal zinc smelting using indigenous methods in Hezhang County, Guizhou, China: part 2. Mercury contaminations to soil and crop. Science of the Total Environment, 368(1), 47–55.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu, J., Zhao, C. P., Luo, Y. P., Liu, C. S., Kyzas, G. Z., Luo, Y., et al. (2014). Heavy metals in surface sediments of the Jialu River, China: their relations to environmental factors. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 270, 102–109.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanson, L. (1980). An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach. Water Research, 14(8), 975–1001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, B. Q., Li, G. G., Li, J., Bi, J. Q., Zhao, J. T., & Bu, R. Y. (2013). Spatial distribution and ecotoxicological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments of the southern Bohai Bay, China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 20(6), 4099–4110.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, X. X., Zhu, Y., & Ji, H. B. (2013). Distribution, speciation, and risk assessment of selected metals in the gold and iron mine soils of the catchment area of Miyun Reservoir, Beijing, China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185(10), 8525–8545.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin, Z. J., Li, Z. Y., Li, Q., Hu, Q., Yang, R., Tang, H., et al. (2015). Canonical correspondence analysis of soil heavy metal pollution, microflora and enzyme activities in the Pb–Zn mine tailing dam collapse area of Sidi village, SW China. Environmental Earth Sciences, 73(1), 267–274.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Q., Zhou, J. L., Chen, B., Huang, B., Zeng, X. D., Zhan, J. H., et al. (2014). Toxic metal contamination and distribution in soils and plants of a typical metallurgical industrial area in southwest of China. Environmental Earth Sciences, 72(6), 2101–2109.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, P. Z., Lin, C. Y., Cheng, H. G., Duan, X. L., & Lei, K. (2015). Contamination and health risks of soil heavy metals around a lead/zinc smelter in southwestern China. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 113(0), 391–399.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, X. S., Xue, Y., Wang, Y. L., Cang, L., Xu, B., & Ding, J. (2015). Source identification and apportionment of heavy metals in urban soil profiles. Chemosphere, 127, 152–157.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Margesin, R., Plaza, G. A., & Kasenbacher, S. (2011). Characterization of bacterial communities at heavy-metal-contaminated sites. Chemosphere, 82(11), 1583–1588.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China (2015). Soil environmental quality standard for agricultural land, GB 15618–2015.

  • Müller, G. (1981). Die Schwermetallbelastung der Sedimenten des Neckars und Seiner Nebenflusse. Chemiker Zeitung, 105, 157–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pan, L. B., Ma, J., Wang, X. L., & Hou, H. (2016). Heavy metals in soils from a typical county in Shanxi Province, China: levels, sources and spatial distribution. Chemosphere, 148, 248–254.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, B., Agrawal, M., & Singh, S. (2015). Ecological risk assessment of soil contamination by trace elements around coal mining area. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 16(1), 159–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reimann, C., Filzmoser, P., Garrett, R. G., & Dutter, R. (2008). Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA). In: Statistical data analysis explained: applied environmental statistics with R (pp. 211–232): John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  • Singh, S., Raju, N. J., & Nazneen, S. (2015). Environmental risk of heavy metal pollution and contamination sources using multivariate analysis in the soils of Varanasi environs, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187(6), 4577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sterckeman, T., Douay, F., Proix, N., & Fourrier, H. (2000). Vertical distribution of Cd, Pb and Zn in soils near smelters in the north of France. Environmental Pollution, 107(3), 377–389.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, C., Liu, J., Wang, Y., Sun, L., & Yu, H. (2013). Multivariate and geostatistical analyses of the spatial distribution and sources of heavy metals in agricultural soil in Dehui, northeast China. Chemosphere, 92(5), 517–523.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, Q. H., Leung, J. Y. S., Geng, X. H., Chen, S. J., Huang, X. X., Li, H. Y., et al. (2015). Heavy metal contamination of soil and water in the vicinity of an abandoned e-waste recycling site: implications for dissemination of heavy metals. Science of the Total Environment, 506, 217–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie, H. T., Li, J., Zhang, C. Z., Tian, Z., Liu, X., Tang, C., et al. (2014). Assessment of heavy metal contents in surface soil in the Lhasa-Shigatse-Nam co area of the Tibetan Plateau, China. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 93(2), 192–198.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan, H., Yuan, S. Y., Li, M. Y., & Xiao, J. (2015). Evaluation of heavy metal contamination in agricultural topsoils in suburban Xuchang City, China. Environmental Earth Sciences, 74(3), 2475–2480.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Z. P., Lu, W. X., Long, Y. Q., Bao, X. H., & Yang, Q. C. (2011). Assessment of heavy metals contamination in urban topsoil from Changchun City, China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 108(1), 27–38.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yaylalı-Abanuz, G. (2011). Heavy metal contamination of surface soil around Gebze industrial area, Turkey. Microchemical Journal, 99(1), 82–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • You, M., Huang, Y. E., Lu, J., & Li, C. P. (2015). Environmental implications of heavy metals in soil from Huainan, China. Analytical Letters, 48(11), 1802–1814.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, H., Liu, G. L., Shi, W., & Li, J. C. (2014). Soil heavy metal contamination and risk assessment around the Fenhe Reservoir, China. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 93, 182–186.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Z. Y., Y, L. J., Mamat, Z., & F, Y. Q. (2016). Sources identification and pollution evaluation of heavy metals in the surface sediments of Bortala River, northwest China. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 126, 94–101.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, L., Mi, D., Chen, Y. F., Wang, L., & Sun, Y. Q. (2015). Ecological risk assessment and sources of heavy metals in sediment from Daling River basin. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22(8), 5975–5984.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, J., Feng, K., Pei, Z. P., Meng, F., & Sun, J. (2016). Multivariate analysis combined with GIS to source identification of heavy metals in soils around an abandoned industrial area, eastern China. Ecotoxicology, 25(2), 380–388.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, X. F., Ji, H. B., Chen, Y., Qiao, M., & Tang, L. (2012). Assessment and sources of heavy metals in surface sediments of Miyun Reservoir, Beijing. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185(7), 6049–6062.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported in part by grants from the Public Welfare Project of the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (201409042, 201509049), Key Project from the National Science Foundation of China (41430106), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (41273092, U1402234). The authors express their sincere thanks to Prof. Brunello Ceccanti for his scientific advice and stimulating discussion.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, and National International Cooperation Base on Environment and Energy, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Zhimin Yuan, Jun Yao, Fei Wang & Zunwei Guo

  2. School of Water Resource and Environmental Engineering, Sino-Hungarian Joint Laboratory of Environmental Science and Health, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Jun Yao

  3. Guizhou Academy of Environmental Science and Designing, 550081, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China

    Zeqin Dong, Feng Chen & Yu Hu

  4. Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada

    Geoffrey Sunahara

Authors
  1. Zhimin Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jun Yao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fei Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zunwei Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zeqin Dong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Feng Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yu Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Geoffrey Sunahara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jun Yao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yuan, Z., Yao, J., Wang, F. et al. Potentially toxic trace element contamination, sources, and pollution assessment in farmlands, Bijie City, southwestern China. Environ Monit Assess 189, 25 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5755-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5755-8

Keywords

  • Potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs)
  • Bijie City
  • Principal component analysis (PCA)
  • Geoaccumulation index
  • Potential ecological risk index