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Heavy metals in the soils and plants from a typical restored coal-mining area of Huainan coalfield, China

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Abstract

This study was conducted to pursue the heavy metals in the soil and plants of a typical restored coal-mining area, China. The average concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, and Pb in soil were 26.4, 76.1, 188.6, 34.3, and 50.2 mg kg−1, respectively, implying a significant accumulation of Cr, Ni, and Pb compared with the background values. Contamination factor indicates that the soil underwent none to medium pollution by Cu and Zn, medium to strong by Cr, none to strong by Pb, and medium pollution by Ni while the pollution load index means that the soil was subjected to intermediate contamination. Based on the critical threshold values to protect the plants, the investigated metals were unable to affect the plants. One-way ANOVA analysis shows that Cu, Zn, and Pb in plants varied with plant tissues. Cu-Cr, Cu-Ni, Zn-Ni, Zn-Pb, Cr-Ni, and Ni-Pb pairs had significant positive correlation both in soil and in plants due to the similar soil characteristics and plant physiologies. Correspondence analysis indicates that Pb was more likely to be accumulative in stems and leaves. In addition, the levels of Cu and Cr in plant followed an order of roots > stems > leaves; Zn and Ni leaves ≥ stems > roots; and Pb followed stems ≥ leaves > roots. Generally, this study suggests that the plants like Ligustrum lucidum Aiton and Weigela hortensis, which are capable of accumulating Cr, Ni, and Pb, should be the predominant species in the studied area.

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Acknowledgements

This research is supported by the Huainan Mining Group as the project of “Study on the feasibility phytoremediation in restored coal-mine area.” The authors are grateful for the support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Siping Niu

  2. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Liangmin Gao

  3. Economic Research Center of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Junjie Zhao

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  1. Siping Niu
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  2. Liangmin Gao
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Correspondence to Siping Niu.

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Niu, S., Gao, L. & Zhao, J. Heavy metals in the soils and plants from a typical restored coal-mining area of Huainan coalfield, China. Environ Monit Assess 189, 484 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6207-9

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