Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Characteristics of heavy metal concentrations and risk assessment for giant pandas and their habitat in the Qinling Mountains, China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

High concentrations of heavy metals in the environment threaten the quality of ecosystems and the health of human beings and animals. Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), which is endemic to China and a global conservation icon, has the largest density in the Qinling Mountains. This paper investigated the spatiotemporal variation of heavy metal concentrations in soil (N = 44) at the regional scale with three zones of urban areas, mountain edges, and central mountains, the temporal variation of heavy metal concentrations in three bamboo species (N = 19) and two types of feces (N = 10), and assessed the ecological risk and health risk for giant pandas and their habitat in the Qinling Mountains. The results showed that the median concentrations of studied eight heavy metals mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in soil exceeded the background values of Shaanxi Province except Pb. The median concentrations of Hg, Zn, Cr, Pb, and Cd in bamboo surpassed the reference standard (RS) of national food safety limits in vegetables for human intake, but the concentration of Zn was within the nutrient range in the bamboo plants. Heavy metals were enriched more in feces of captive than the wild giant pandas, which illustrated either higher ingestion or lower digestibility for captive giant panda. Ecological risk assessment of soil by the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and risk index (RI) showed strong pollution by Hg and moderate pollution by Cd. Health risk assessment by the hazard index (HI) showed a potential to strong risk for giant pandas exposed to Pb, As, and Hg. In addition, the concentrations of heavy metals in feces showed a higher exposure risk for captive giant pandas than wild giant pandas. We suggest that attention should be paid to and all effective measurements should be taken for reducing the emission of Hg, As, Pb, and Cd in the study area.

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
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bari M, Kindzierski W (2017) Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Canadian oil sands communities: levels, sources and potential human health risk. Sci Total Environ 595:828–838.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J (2008) Assessment and management of risk to wildlife from cadmium. Sci Total Environ 389:37–45.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Teng Y, Lu S, et al (2015) Contamination features and health risk of soil heavy metals in China. Sci Total Environ 512–513:143–153.

  • Chen Y, Maltby L, Liu Q, et al (2016) Captive pandas are at risk from environmental toxins. Front Ecol Environ 14:363–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Zheng Y, Liu Q, et al (2017) Atmospheric deposition exposes Qinling pandas to toxic pollutants. Ecol Appl 27:343–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Liu Q, Ma Q, et al (2018) Environmental toxicants impair liver and kidney function and sperm quality of captive pandas. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 162:218–224.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • China's State Forestry Administration (2015) The fourth national survey report on Giant panda in China. Beijing: Science Press (in Chinese)

  • CNEMC, 1990. The Soil Background Value in China. China Environmental Science Press, Beijing.

  • Davis H, Marjorie C, McDermott S, et al (2009) Identifying natural and anthropogenic sources of metals in urban and rural soils using GIS-based data, PCA, and spatial interpolation. Environ Pollut 157:2378–2385.

  • Delibes M, Cabezas S, Jiménez B, et al (2009) Animal decisions and conservation: the recolonization of a severely polluted river by the Eurasian otter. Anim Conserv 12:400–407.

  • Deng J, Wang Q (2016) Gold mineralization in China: metallogenic provinces, deposit types and tectonic framework. Gondwana Res 36:219–274.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dragović R, Gajić B, Dragović S, et al (2014) Assessment of the impact of geographical factors on the spatial distribution of heavy metals in soils around the steel production facility in Smederevo (Serbia). J Clean Prod 84:550–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairbrother A (1997) Environmental contaminants in wildlife: interpreting tissue concentrations. J Wildl Dis 33:383–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fan J, Li J, Xia R, et al (2014) Assessing the impact of climate change on the habitat distribution of the giant panda in the Qinling Mountains of China. Ecol Model 274:12–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guan Q, Wang F, Xu C, et al (2018) Source apportionment of heavy metals in agricultural soil based on PMF: a case study in Hexi Corridor, northwest China. Chemosphere 193:189–197.

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hou W (2000) Revision of the giant panda life table and related data indicators. Zool Res 21:361–366. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang Q, Liu X, Li Y, et al (2018) Understanding nutrient landscapes for giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains, China : the relationships between bamboo mineral content and giant panda habitat selection during migration. Anim Biodivers Conserv 41:195–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCS (International Programme on Chemical Safety) (1985) Environmental Health Criteria 46: Guidelines for the study of genetic effects in human poulations. Geneva:WHO, pp. 126.

  • Ji Y, Feng Y, Wu J, et al (2008) Using geoaccumulation index to study source profiles of soil dust in China. J Environ Sci 20:571–578.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kjellström T, Borg K, Lind B (1978) Cadmium in feces as an estimator of daily cadmium intake in Sweden. Environ Res 5:242–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krey A, Ostertag S, Man H (2015) Assessment of neurotoxic effects of mercury in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the Canadian Arctic. Sci Total Environ 509–510:237–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y (2015) Research of the structure and nutrition of bamboo in the Qinling Mountains and the relationship with seasonal distribution of giant pandas. Tsinghua University (in Chinese)

  • Li S, Zhang Q (2010) Risk assessment and seasonal variations of dissolved trace elements and heavy metals in the Upper Han River, China. J Hazard Mater 181:1051–1058.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Kusky T, Wang L, et al (2007) Collision leading to multiple-stage large-scale extrusion in the Qinling orogen: insights from the Mianlue suture. Gondwana Res 12:121–143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li J, He M, Han W, et al (2009) Analysis and assessment on heavy metal sources in the coastal soils developed from alluvial deposits using multivariate statistical methods. J Hazard Mater 164:976–981.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Ma Z, Kuijp T, et al (2014) A review of soil heavy metal pollution from mines in China: pollution and health risk assessment. Sci Total Environ 468–469:843–853.

  • Liu W (1995) Micronutrient application. Beijing: China Agricultural Press (in Chinese)

  • Liu B (2008) Studies on staple food bamboo and its characteristics of giant panda in the Qinling Mountains. Northwest A & F University (in Chinese)

  • Liu Q (2015) Risk assessment and source apportionment of heavy metal exposure in endangered animals in the Qinling Mountains. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (in Chinese)

  • Liu S, Zhang J (2003) Research and protection of biodiversity in Foping Nature Reserve. Shaanxi Science and Technology Press, Xi'an (in Chinese)

  • Liu Q, Chen Y, Maltby L, et al (2015) Exposure of the endangered golden monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) to heavy metals: a comparison of wild and captive animals. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:6713–6720.

  • Liu J, Yong J, Liu Y, et al (2018) Quantitative contributions of the major sources of heavy metals in soils to ecosystem and human health risks: a case study of Yulin, China. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 164:261–269.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long R, Field L, Macdonald D (1998) Predicting toxicity in marine sediments with numerical sediment quality guidelines. Environ Toxicol Chem 17:714–727

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loska K, Wiechulła D, Korus I (2004) Metal contamination of farming soils affected by industry. Environ Int 30:159–165.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lü L, Li H, Yang X, et al (2018) Neoproterozoic magmatic Ni–Cu–(PGE) sulfide deposits related to the assembly and breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent in China: an overview. Ore Geol Rev 99:282–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lv J, Liu Y (2019) An integrated approach to identify quantitative sources and hazardous areas of heavy metals in soils. Sci Total Environ 646:19–28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lv J, Wang Y (2018) Multi-scale analysis of heavy metals sources in soils of Jiangsu Coast, Eastern China. Chemosphere 212:964–973.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma G, Beaudoin G, Zhong S, et al (2007) Geology and geochemistry of the Dengjiashan Zn-Pb SEDEX deposit, Qinling Belt, China. Can J Earth Sci 44:479–492.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammad O, Mohammad S, Almas Z, et al (2012) Soil contamination, nutritive value, and human health risk assessment of heavy metals: an overview. Toxicity of Heavy Metals to Legumes and Bioremediation, 1-27

  • Müller G (1979) Schwermetalle in den Sedimenten den Rheins- Veränderungen seit 1971. Umschau 79:778–783.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pacyna E, Pacyna J, Steenhuisen F, et al (2006) Global anthropogenic mercury emission inventory for 2000. Atmos Environ 40:4048–4063.

  • Pacyna E, Pacyna J, Sundseth K, et al (2010) Global emission of mercury to the atmosphere from anthropogenic sources in 2005 and projections to 2020. Atmos Environ 44:2487–2499.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan W, Lv Z, Zhu X (2001) The opportunity for the giant panda to exist. Peking University Press (in Chinese)

  • Pant P (2014) Receptor modelling studies of airborne particulate matter in the United Kingdom and India. University of Birmingham.

  • Rani L, Basnet B, Kumar A (2011) Mercury toxicity. J Kerman Univ Med Sci 18:98–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratschbacher L, Hacker B, Calvert A, et al (2003) Tectonics of the Qinling (Central China): tectonostratigraphy, geochronology and deformation history. Tectonophysics 366:1–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland R (2000) Bed sediment-associated trace metals in an urban stream, Oahu, Hawaii. Environ Geol 39:611–627.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tian Z, Dietze V, Sommer F, et al (2017) Coarse-particle passive-sampler measurements and single-particle analysis by transmitted light microscopy at highly frequented motorways. Aerosol Air Qual Res 17:1939–1953.

  • Tóth G, Hermann T, Szatmári G, et al (2016) Maps of heavy metals in the soils of the European Union and proposed priority areas for detailed assessment. Sci Total Environ 565:1054–1062.

  • Tuanmu M, Viña A, Winkler J, et al (2013) Climate-change impacts on understorey bamboo species and giant pandas in China's Qinling Mountains. Nat Clim Chang 3:249–253.

  • US EPA (1986) Guidelines for the health risk assessment of chemical mixtures. Find in subdirectory from website: https://doi.org/10.1042/BC20090127

  • US EPA (1989) Risk assessment guidance for superfund. Volume I. Human health evaluation manual (Part A. Office of emergency and remedial manual). Find in subdirectory from website: https://www.epa.gov

  • US EPA (2004) Risk assessment guidance for superfund. Volume I. Human health evaluation manual (Part E. Supplemental guidance for dermal risk assessment). I:1–156. Find in subdirectory from website: https://www.epa.gov

  • US EPA (2009) Human health criteria table. Find in subdirectory from website: https://www.epa.gov

  • US EPA (2014) Regional Screening Level (RSL), Region 9, Summary Table. Find in subdirectory from website: https://www.epa.gov

  • Wang H, Xu X (2003) Simultaneous determination of arsenic and mercury in soil by dual-channel atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Jiangsu Agric Sci:88–90. (in Chinese)

  • Wang G, Zhou B, Cheng C, et al (2013) Impact of Gobi desert dust on aerosol chemistry of Xi’an, inland China during spring 2009: differences in composition and size distribution between the urban ground surface and the mountain atmosphere. Atmos Chem Phys 13:819–835.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Deng J, Carranza E, et al (2014) Nature, diversity and temporal-spatial distributions of sediment-hosted Pb-Zn deposits in China. Ore Geol Rev 56:327–351.

  • Wang C, Wang X, Qi X, et al (2015) Influence of human activities on the historical and current distribution of sichuan snub-nosed monkeys in the Qinling Mountains, China. Folia Primatol 85:343–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu W, Wu P, Yang F, et al (2018) Assessment of heavy metal pollution and human health risks in urban soils around an electronics manufacturing facility. Sci Total Environ 630:53–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WWF (2014) Report of giant panda conservation research. (in Chinese)

  • Xu Y, Wu Y, Han J, et al (2017) The current status of heavy metal in lake sediments from China: pollution and ecological risk assessment. Ecol Evol 7:5454–5466.

  • Yong L, Huifeng W, Xiaoting L, et al (2015) Heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils in Taiyuan, China. Pedosphere 25:901–909.

  • Zhang Z, Wei F (2006) Giant panda ex situ conservation: theory and practice. Science Press (in Chinese)

  • Zhao Y, Chen Y, Ellison A, et al (2019) Establish an environmentally sustainable Giant Panda National Park in the Qinling Mountains. Sci Total Environ 668:979–987.

  • Zheng Y (2016) Exposure risk assessment of Qinling giant panda habitat to heavy metals and pollution source apportionment. Institute of Earth Environment, CAS (in Chinese)

  • Zheng Y, Chen Y, Maltby L, et al (2016) Highway increases concentrations of toxic metals in giant panda habitat. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23:21262–21272.

  • Zhu J, Wang Z, Liu J, et al (1992) Mineral resources and minerogenetic distribution regularity in Qinling-Dabashan area. Northwest Geosci 13:53–64. (in Chinese)

Download references

Acknowledgments

We express our great thanks to the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China project (No 41671183) and to Kepu Wang, Xiaofei Liu, and Qinghe Li from Tsinghua University, and Ying Jiang from Henan Agricultural University for their previous field work with us in the Qinling Mountains. Many thanks to the staff from the Xinqing park, Louguantai National Forest Park, Foping, Zhouzhi, and Changqing Nature Reserves for their kind help during sampling. And also thanks to the Ningbo Guoke Testing Co., Ltd, for their chemical analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, and School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Zhaoxue Tian, Xuehua Liu, Wanlong Sun, Anam Ashraf & Yuke Zhang

  2. Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, 710032, Shaanxi, China

    Xuelin Jin

  3. Foping Nature Reserve, Foping County, Hanzhong, 723400, Shaanxi, China

    Xiangbo He

  4. The Administration of Shaanxi Changqing National Nature Reserve, Hanzhong, 723300, Shaanxi, China

    Baisuo He

Authors
  1. Zhaoxue Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xuehua Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wanlong Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anam Ashraf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuke Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xuelin Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Xiangbo He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Baisuo He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xuehua Liu.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues

Publisher’s note

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

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 21 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tian, Z., Liu, X., Sun, W. et al. Characteristics of heavy metal concentrations and risk assessment for giant pandas and their habitat in the Qinling Mountains, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 1569–1584 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06769-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06769-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation