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Probing the distribution and contamination levels of 10 trace metal/metalloids in soils near a Pb/Zn smelter in Middle China

  • Heavy Metals in the Environment : Sources, Interactions and Human Health
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Abstract

The horizontal and vertical distribution patterns and contamination status of ten trace metal/metalloids (Ag, Bi, Co, Cr, Ge, In, Ni, Sb, Sn, Tl) in soils around one of the largest Chinese Pb–Zn smelter in Zhuzhou City, Central China, were revealed. Different soil samples were collected from 11 areas, including ten agricultural areas and one city park area, with a total of 83 surface soil samples and six soil cores obtained. Trace metal/metalloids were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry after digestion by an acid mixture of HF and HNO3. The results showed that Ag, Bi, In, Sb, Sn, and Tl contents decreased both with the distance to the Pb–Zn smelter as well as the soil depth, hinting that these elements were mainly originated from the Pb–Zn smelting operations and were introduced into soils through atmospheric deposition. Soil Ge was influenced by the smelter at a less extent, while the distributions of Co, Cr, and Ni were roughly even among most sampling sites and soil depths, suggesting that they were primarily derived from natural sources. The contamination status, as revealed by the geo-accumulation index (I geo), indicated that In and Ag were the most enriched elements, followed by Sb, Bi, and Sn. In general, Cr, Tl, Co, Ni, and Ge were of an uncontaminated status.

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Acknowledgments

We appreciate Dr. Atindra Sapkota for the English language editing of our manuscript. This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21077103, 41273003, 41003007) and the Government of Norway (“Sino-Norwegian Cooperation Project on Capacity Building for Reducing Mercury Pollution in China”).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002, China

    Zhonggen Li, Xinbin Feng, Guanghui Li & Guangyi Sun

  2. State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Xiangyang Bi & Guangyi Sun

  3. Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalleen 21, Oslo, 0349, Norway

    Yan Lin

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  1. Zhonggen Li
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  2. Xinbin Feng
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  3. Xiangyang Bi
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  4. Guanghui Li
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  5. Yan Lin
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  6. Guangyi Sun
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Correspondence to Xinbin Feng.

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Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

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Li, Z., Feng, X., Bi, X. et al. Probing the distribution and contamination levels of 10 trace metal/metalloids in soils near a Pb/Zn smelter in Middle China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 4149–4162 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2407-1

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