Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination of Topsoil and Street Dust around Cement Factory in Southern Jordan

Evaluation of assessment of the metal processes governing the metals distribution in soil and dust samples is very significant and protects the health of human and ecological system. Recently, special attention has given to the assessment of metals pollution impact on soil and dust within industrial areas. This study aims to assess the metal contamination levels in the topsoil and street dust around the cement factory in Qadissiya area, southern Jordan. The levels of seven metals (namely Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Mn) were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spec-trophotometer (FAAS) to monitor, evaluate, and to compare topsoil and road dust pollution values of metals of the different types of urban area. The physicochemical parameters which believed to affect the mobility of metals in the soil of the study area were determined such as pH, EC, TOM, CaCO3 and CEC. The levels of metal in soil samples are greater on the surface but decrease in the lower part as a result of the basic nature of soil. The mean values of the metals in soil can be arranged in the following order: Zn > Pb > Mn > Fe > Cu > Cr > Cd. The relatively high concentration of metals in the soil sample was attributed to anthropogenic activities such as traffic emissions, cement factory and agricultural activities. Correlation coefficient analysis and the spatial distribution of indices and the results of statistical analysis indicate three groups of metals: Fe and Mn result by natural origin, Zn, Pb, Cu and Zn result by anthropogenic origin (mainly motor vehicle traffic and abrasion of tires) while Cd is mixed origin. The higher content level values of metals of anthropogenic source in soil samples indicate that it is a source of contamination of air in the studied area. .

Distribution,risk evaluation,and source analysis of the heavy metals in the sediment deposition of the lower Shichuanhe River,Shaanxi,China

In this study, 30 sediment samples were collected from the lower reaches of the Shichuanhe River in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China, to test the distribution of heavy metal elements in this area and for an analysis of the pollution levels of this area, hope to provide guidance on agricultural production activities in this region. The results show that the heavy metal elements in this area are mainly concentrated at the Qinghe River and Shichuanhe River confluences. Furthermore, the element contents are higher than that of the background levels of the continental crust(UCC) and close to the background levels of the soil from Shaanxi Province;the two most enriched elements are Cd and As, with contents of 0.79 and 22.7 mg·kg-1, respectively, and their contents are 3.8 and 1.72 times higher than that of the background values. Herein, the heavy metal pollution assessment methods applied indicated that Cd and As are the two most abundant pollutant elements in the area’s soils. As has a peak geo-accumulation index value of 3, and the pollution level is high, while Cd exhibits high potential ecological risks due to its high toxicity(potential risk index of 143) and an active fraction of more than 64%.In addition, a principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis study showed that there are two sources of the heavy metals in this area. The Zn, As, Ni, Cu, Pb,and Cr are mainly from natural sources, and the Cd likely comes from a discharge of untreated agricultural wastewater in the region. The Cd which poses a high potential risk and mainly results from human activities, needs to be further monitored.

The spatial multiscale variability of heavy metals based on factorial kriging analysis: A case study in the northeastern Beibu Gulf

Factorial kriging analysis is applied to the research on the spatial multiscale variability of heavy metals in submarine. It is used to analyze the multiscale spatial structures of seven heavy metals, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, As and Cd in the surface sediment from the northeastern of Beibu Gulf, identify and separate spatial variations at different scales of heavy metals, and discuss the provenance of heavy metals and the influencing factors. The results show that the existence of three-scale spatial variations those consist of nugget effect, a spherical structure with range of 30 km（short-range scale） and a spherical structure with range of 140 km（long-range scale） in the linear model of coregionalization fitted. The spatial distribution features of seven heavy metals at short-range scale reflect ＂spot-like＂ or ＂stripe-like＂ local-scale spatial variations; the spatial distribution features of the seven heavy metals at long-range scale represent ＂slice-like＂ regional-scale spatial variations. At local scale, Zn, Cr, Ni,Cu, Pb and Cd are derived primarily from parent materials of Hainan Island, Leizhou Peninsula and Guangxi land, whose spatial distribution characteristics are controlled by granularity of sediments, while As is influenced dominantly by human pollution components from Hainan Island and Leizhou Peninsula. At regional scale, Zn,Cr, Ni and Cu originate primarily from parent rock materials of Leizhou Peninsula and Hainan Island, secondly from Guangxi land; As originated primarily from parent rock materials from Hainan Island, secondly from Leizhou Peninsula and Guangxi land. These metals are transported and migrated with sediments dominated by the anticlockwise circulation of Beibu Gulf year-round, deposited in ＂convergence center＂, forming the whole sedimentary pattern in direction of NWW-NNW at regional scale. The difference in distribution type between As and other metals at regional scale is mainly due to their different geochemical behavior.

Analysis and Evaluation of Bioavailable Heavy Metals in Surface Soil of the Abandoned Lead-zinc Mine in Changhua,Hainan Province

[Objectives] The research was conducted to study characteristics of bioavailable levels pollution of heavy metals in the surface soil of the lead-zinc mine in Changhua.[Methods] A total of 56 surface samples were collected from the 3 study zones （peripheral zone, reclamation zone and tailing zone） located at the lead-zine mine in Changhua. Based on total and bioavailable heavy metals （Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd） in soils, the correlation of total content with bioavailable content was analyzed, and their pollution characteristics were assessed by methods of single factor pollution index, Nemerow pollution index, geological accumulation index and potential ecological risk index.[Results] （i） The surface soils were polluted by Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd in different degrees, and the overall trend of the contents of the 4 heavy metals was in order of Cd 〉 Pb 〉 Zn 〉 Cu. The average excess multiple of heavy metals of total and bioavailable content in soils were in the order of peripheral zone 〉 tailing zone 〉 reclaimed zone, and their pollution degrees were tailing zone 〉 peripheral zone 〉 reclaimed zone. （ii） In general, the total and bioavailable contents of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd showed a significant correlation, but were not correlated in each study zone. （iii） Pollution degrees of the study zones were in the order of tailing zone 〉 peripheral zone 〉 reclamation zone. The pollutions of heavy metals Pb and Cd were more serious, especially Cd reached high levels of pollution degree, and the pollution degrees of Zn, Cu were lighter. Contributors of ecological risk were mainly Cd, Pb and Cu, and the contribution of Cd achieved more than 90 %, making it the main source of pollution.[Conclusions] The results not only revealed the pollution status of heavy metals in the surface soil of the abandoned coal mine, but also could provide scientific guidance for reasonable utilization and ecological recovery of the land.

Heavy metal pollution of river water and eco-friendly remediation using potent microalgal species

Pollution of rivers is mainly caused by anthropogenic activities such as discharge of effluent from industrial facilities,maintenance of sewage/effluent treatment plants,and dumping of solid waste on river banks.This study dealt with the pollution issues of the Cooum River in the well-known city of Chennai in South India.Water samples from 27 locations were collected and analyzed for 12 elements,including Ba,B,and Al,as well as heavy metals such as Pb,Cr,Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Cu,Zn,and Cd.The samples showed levels of these elements that exceeded World Health Organization recommendations.Pearson correlation analysis revealed the inter-dependency among elements,and the contribution of each element based on factor loadings showed its percentage contribution compared to others.Water samples from six significant locations were chosen for remediation with three algae:Chlorella vulgaris,Scenedesmus dimorphus,and Phormedium sp.The uptake of pollutants led to the continuous growth of algae during the incubation period of 15 d,effectively removing heavy metals from the river water.The increasing levels of algal counts and the chlorophyll a content confirmed the algal growth during the incubation period,followed by a declining stage after the incubation period.The scanning electron microscopic images of algae before and after the remediation showed no remarkable modification of morphological patterns.This study showed that the uptake of heavy metals using algae is an effective water pollution remediation measure,making the process practicable in the field on a large scale in the near future.

Health risk assessment of heavy metal pollution in groundwater of a karst basin,SW China

To investigate the presence of metal elements and assess their health risk for the populace in the Nandong Underground River Basin(NURB),we conducted an analysis of eleven common heavy metals in the water body.A Health risk assessment(HRA)model was employed to analyze 84 water samples from the NURB.The detection results revealed the following order of heavy metals concentrations:Fe>Al>Mn>Zn>As>Cd>Pb>Cr>Ni>Cu>Hg.Correlation analysis indicated a certain similarity in material source and migration transformation among these eleven metal elements.Our study identified that the health risks for local residents exposed to metal elements in the water of NURB primarily stem from carcinogenic risk(10^(−6)–10^(−4)a^(−1))through the drinking water pathway.Moreover,the health risk of heavy metal exposure for children through drinking water was notably higher than for adults.The maximum health risks of Cr in both underground and surface water exceeded the recommendation standard(5.0×10^(−5)a^(−1))from ICRP,surpassing the values recommended by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency,the Dutch Ministry of Construction and Environment and the British Royal Society(5.0×10^(−6)a^(−1)).The results of the health risk assessment indicate that Cr in the water of NURB is the primary source of carcinogenic risk for local residents,followed by Cd and As.Consequently,it is imperative to control these three carcinogenic metals when the water was used as drinking water resource.

Characterizing spatial distribution and sources of heavy metals in the soils from mining-smelting activities in Shuikoushan,Hunan Province,China

The spatial variation of heavy metals in the soils in Shuikoushan mining-smelting area, Hunan Province, China, was investigated using multivariate and geo-statistic analysis. A total of 106 composite soil samples were collected in an area of about 100 km^2. Concentrations of total As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu and Cr were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （ICP-MS）. Arsenic and Pb were found to have a common source, indicating the same sources and spreading processes, such as aerosols and airborne particulates from smelting chimneys. Airborne sources from smelting chimneys contributed greatly to Cd in the area, which demonstrated the same dispersion pattern as As and Pb. However, two hot spots of Cd around smelters were possibly enlarged by wastewaters, demonstrating another important source of Cd in Shuikouhsan. Geo-statistic interpolated mapping demonstrated that hotspots of Zn were only found proximal to the large smelters, suggesting that Zn primarily came from the chimneys of larger smelters. The major Cu hot-spots appeared closely to the tailing dam, indicating that weathering and leaching of tailings were the major sources of Cu contamination in Shuikoushan. Our findings indicated that airborne volatile particles and aerosols contributed the most to As, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu contamination, while Cd and Cu may also derive from the discharge of wastewater from smelters and the leaching of tailings, respectively,

Application of chemometrics methods for the estimation of heavy metals contamination in river sediments

The concentration and speciation of six heavy metals in sediments of eight sampling sites of Haihe River were investigated. The metals, namely Cd, Cu, Co, Ni, Mn and Pb were considered. By using sequential extraction(SE), the total metals were divided into five fractions: exchangeable, carbonate bound, iron/manganese oxide bound, sulfides and organic matter fraction and residual fraction. A multivariate statistical approach(principal component analysis, PCA) was used to evaluate the contamination of heavy metals by the total levels and chemical forms, respectively. The results showed that the total metals concentration(TMC) could not provide sufficient and accurate information because the mobility, bioavailability and toxicity of metals depend not only on their total concentration but also on the physicochemical form in which they occur.

Accumulation of heavy metals in two crop seeds due to soil contamination as determined by neutron activation analysis techniques

Samples of two crop seeds (corn and sesame) grown on different contaminated soil sources were collected and prepared for neutron activation analysis. Soil contamination sources were organic waste compost applied to soil amendments namely, sewage sludge(Bs) and municipal solid waste (MSW) at 4%, 6% and 8% respectively. The non destructive NAA technique was used to determine some trace elements accumulation in plant seeds. Results revealed that increasing rate of tested organic waste resulted in dramatic increase in tested heavy metals levels in seeds(i.e., Fe, Zn, Co, Cr, Sc and Hg). Sesame seeds showed higher affinity to accumulate trace elements than corn grains in most tested elements. Moreover, MSW addition enhanced the accumulation of tested metals in seeds more than Bs compost.

Physicochemical, Heavy Metals and Phenolic Compounds Analysis of Libyan Honey Samples Collected from Benghazi during 2009-2010

In the present work, the results of analysis of 10 Libyan honey samples, representing various floral honeys, collected from Benghazicity during different seasons in 2009-2010 were demonstrated. All samples were examined for the physicochemical quality parameters, phenolic compounds and heavy metals contents. The moisture;optical density (O. D.);electrical conductivity;water insoluble solids;ash content;pH;total acidity;hydroxylmethyl furfural (HMF);sugar contents and phenolic compounds content were detected according to AOAC 1990-Official Methods and reference methods. The results were compared with Libyan Standard Legislation and the European Standard Legislation. The obtained results indicated that the quality of the tested Libyan honey samples were very good and worth to the world standard properties of honey. Even more, the tested Libyan honey samples have high level of phenolic compounds content. On the basis of heavy metals content, three metals were determined (Cadmium, copper and lead) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The level of each metal-content was variable, which may be due to the conditions of processing, packing and storage conditions of Libyan honey samples.

Source analysis and risk evaluation of heavy metal in the river sediment of polymetallic mining area:Taking the Tonglüshan skarn type Cu-Fe-Au deposit as an example,Hubei section of the Yangtze River Basin,China

In this paper,25 sampling points of overlying deposits in Tonglushan mining area,Daye City,Hubei Province,China were tested for heavy metal content to explore pollution characteristics,pollution sources and ecological risks of heavy metals in sediments.A geo-accumulation index method was used to evaluate the degree of heavy metal pollution in the sediment.The mean sediment quality guideline quotient was used for evaluating the ecological risk level of heavy metal in the sediment.And a method of correlation analysis,clustering analysis,and principal component analysis was used for preliminary analysis on the source of heavy metal in the sediment.It was indicated that there was extremely heavy metal pollution in the sediment,among which Cd was extremely polluted,Cu strongly contaminated,Zn,As,and Hg moderately contaminated,and Pb,Cr,and Ni were slightly contaminated.It was also indicated by the mean sediment quality guideline-quotient result that there was a high ecological risk of heavy metals in the sediment,and 64%of the sample sites had extremely high hidden biotoxic effects.For distribution,the contamination of branches was worse than that of the main channel of Daye Dagang,and the deposition of each heavy metal was mainly influenced by the distance from this sample site to the sewage draining exit of a tailings pond.The source analysis showed that the heavy metals in the sediment come from pollution discharging of mining and beneficiation companies,tailings ponds,smelting companies,and transport vehicles.In the study area,due to the influence of heavy metal discharging from these sources,the ecotoxicity of heavy metals in the sediment was extremely high,and Cd was the most toxic pollutant.The research figured out the key restoration area and elements for ecological restoration in the sediment of the Tonglüshan mining area,which could be referenced by monitoring and governance of heavy metal pollution in the sediment of the polymetallic mining area.

Determination of Different Trace Heavy Metals in Children’s Plastic Toys Imported to the West Bank/Palestine by ICP/MS-Environmental and Health Aspects

The main aim of this study is to assess the quality of inexpensive plastic toys imported to Palestinian Markets. The content of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Hg, As, Se, Ba, and Zn) was analyzed in 50 plastic toys purchased from local markets in Palestine and 17 plastic toys purchased from Israeli markets for comparison. After the digestion of samples with concentrated nitric acids and hydrogen peroxide using a microwave digester, the concentrations of the selected heavy metals were determined by ICP-MS Agilent 7500 in Al-Quds University. Results revealed that 40% of the Palestinian toy samples had high concentration (above international limits) of Pb, 30% of Cd, 34% of Cr, 6% of Hg, 42% of As, 32% of Se, 20% of Ba, and 40% of Zn. On the other hand, 95% of the Israeli samples were safe, and their concentrations were less than the maximum internationally allowable limits. In the same context, ten toy samples (2.5 gm each) had been crushed and dipped for 8 hours in a solution of artificial saliva. The solution was acidified and tested for heavy metal concentrations, but none of the migration concentrations exceeded the international maximum allowable limit. High levels of heavy metal concentrations, found in the plastic toys from the Palestinian markets could form a health hazard to children and put their lives at risk. It could be also an indirect source for environmental pollution.

Fine Particulate Matter and Heavy Metals Pollution Status in Ambient Air of Some Selected Industrial Sites in Northern Nigeria

Fine particulate matter and eight heavy metals (Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, and Zn) concentrations were determined in air samples collected from three industrial sites in northern Nigeria using a Handheld Portable Particle Counter for PM2.5 and PM10 with model number CW-HAT 200 and a High Volume Respirable Dust Sampler (APM 460 NL) in conjunction with an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Serial No. AA0904M046) Flame Test. The results of the fine particulates ranged from 11.0 - 46.0 μg.m-3 for PM2.5 and 22.0 - 88 μg.m-3 for PM10 across all the industrial sites investigated. Most of these results exceeded the WHO permissible levels of 25.0 μg.m-3 and 50.0 μg.m-3 for PM2.5 and PM10 and thus pose threats to people living and working close to these sites. The concentration of the heavy metals studied were found to be within WHO/EU set standards except for the concentrations of Ni, Pb, and Cd that exceeded the set standard by WHO/EU with toxicity potential >1 in the Terytex industry, Kano and Grand Cereals, Jos. Strong positive correlations were found between the fine particulates concentrations and heavy metals in all the studied sites suggesting that common anthropogenic sources contributed to the fine particulates and heavy metals recorded from the industrial areas. We suggested the installation of electrostatic precipitators to combat fine particulates emission from the stack and also recommended a proper legislative framework by the government to regulate and control industrial fugitive emissions to protect human health.

Application of synthetic principal component analysis model to mine area farmland heavy metal pollution assessment

Referring to GB5618-1995 about heavy metal pollution,and using statistical analysis SPSS,the major pollutants of mine area farmland heavy metal pollution were identified by variable clustering analysis.Assessment and classification were done to the mine area farmland heavy metal pollution situation by synthetic principal components analysis (PCA).The results show that variable clustering analysis is efficient to identify the principal components of mine area farmland heavy metal pollution.Sort and clustering were done to the synthetic principal components scores of soil sample,which is given by synthetic principal components analysis.Data structure of soil heavy metal contaminations relationships and pollution level of different soil samples are discovered.The results of mine area farmland heavy metal pollution quality assessed and classified with synthetic component scores reflect the influence of both the major and compound heavy metal pol- lutants.Identification and assessment results of mine area farmland heavy metal pollution can provide reference and guide to propose control measures of mine area farmland heavy metal pollution and focus on the key treatment region.

Content Analysis of Baicalin and Heavy Metals in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi Cultivated in Jizhou District

This study aimed to explore an analysis method for baicalin in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and make a reference for the analysis of the medicinal value of S. baicalensis cultivated in Jizhou District. The content of baicalin in S. baicalensis cultivated in Jizhou District was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography( HPLC) to judge whether it met the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopoeia; and according to the requirements of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia of 2015 edition,the contents of heavy metals were determined by ICP-MS. The results showed that the contents of baicalin,Cr,Cu,As,Cd and Pb in S. baicalensis planted in Jizhou District were 14. 625 05%,11. 360,12. 830,0. 062 315,0. 025 715 and 0. 176 65 μg/g,respectively. The content of baicalin in S. baicalensis planted in Jizhou District was much higher than the standard( ≥ 9. 0%) of Chinese Pharmacopoeia of 2015 edition,and the contents of heavy metals were also below the limit( ≤20/1000 000) required by Chinese Pharmacopoeia of 2015 edition.

Application of ultrasonic to speciation analysis of heavy metals in soil

In order to reduce the operation time and improve the extraction efficiency, ultrasonic energy by means of ultrasonic bath was used to the modified Tessier sequential extraction for speciation analysis of heavy metals in soil. Extractable contents of Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy(AAS). The merit of the ultrasonic extraction(UE) applied to the modified Tessier method is not only that the operation time for the first 4 fractions was reduced from ca.18 h to 8 h, comparing with conventional extraction(CE), but also the extraction efficiency was higher. The results for both of UE and CE were consistent. The extractable Cu, Ni and Zn in the sample No.1 were mainly associated with the third fraction(Fe-Mn oxides fraction), and fourth fraction(organic matter fraction) in the sample No.2. The extractable Fe and Mn were all mainly associated with the third fraction, and Pb the fourth fraction in both of the samples. The effects of concentration of hydroxylamine chloride on the capability for the extraction of studied metals were also studied.

Determination of Competitive Adsorption and Desorption of Heavy Metals by Isotherm and Sequential Extraction Methods in Different Soil Orders in Erzurum Plain

The objective of this study was to DTPA （complexion agent） and a sequential extraction procedure, and adsorption-desorption isotherm （competitive） evaluate the mobility and distribution of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cd, Ni, and Pb using the in surface samples of five soil great groups differing in their physicochemical properties. For determining heavy metal adsorption and desorption capacities of soil samples, six different concentrations （0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg Lt） were used in a laboratory experiment with tree replications. An analytical procedure involving sequential chemical extractions has been used for partitioning of heavy metals into five fractions. Sorption isotherms were characterized using linear, Frendlich and Langmuir equations. The results indicated that the selective sequences of the metal adsorption based on the distribution coefficient was Pb〉Cu〉Ni〉Cd〉Zn〉Mn〉Fe and Pb, Cu, and Ni are the most strongly sorbed metals by these soils, whereas Cd, Zn and Mn are the least sorbed ones. The total adsorbed amount of these metals on the studied soils was well described by Langmuir equation. Calciorthid had the highset Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd, Zn, Mn, and Fe adsorption, and the sequences followed order Fluvaquent〉Argiustoll〉Pellustert〉Haplustept of the studied soil.

Statistical characteristics of heavy metals content in groundwater and their interrelationships in a certain antimony mine area

In recent years, most of domestic and foreign researches about heavy metal pollutions of metal mine mainly focus on water, soil and plants on the surface. There is lack of researches about heavy metal pollution in groundwater of metal mine. In this research, a certain antimony mine area is selected as a typical study area. Also, the study about statistical characteristics of heavy metals in groundwater has been carried out. Furthermore, the interrelationships have been preliminarily discussed through related analysis, such as relevant analysis, cluster analysis and principle component analysis. The results show that: the excessive elements in groundwater of study area are Sb, As, Pb, Se, and Ni. The average mass concentration of Sb, As, and Pb is higher than that of drinking water standards(GB5749-2006). The concentration of most heavy metals in dry season is lower than or equal to that in wet season for groundwater. Zn is the only metal in groundwater showing a different pattern, the concentration of which in dry season is higher than that in wet season. Under the impacts of stratum leaching and absorption effect, the concentration of heavy metals(except Pb and Ba) in groundwater are lower than or equal to that in surface water. As and Se, the two heavy metals have a significant positive correlation, which shows the two elements might have gone through similar environmental geochemical effect. Also, the connection among Zn, Hg, Pb, and Mn is not obvious; therefore, the sources of those elements are quite different. In addition, the elements of Se and As have obvious positive interrelationship with elements of CO_3^(2-) and F^-. Also, the Pb has significant positive correlation with PO_4^(3-), H_2SiO_3 and oxygen consumption. The results of cluster analysis show that 9 different heavy metals in the study area can be divided into 3 categories: Zn, Cd, Mn, Hg, Cu, and Cr belong to the first category, Se and As belong to the second one, and the last category is Pb. Also, the principle component analysis divides 6 heavy metals(Zn, As, Hg, Pb, Mn, and Se) into 4 different principle components, which can be utilized to assess heavy metals pollution situations in groundwater. The reliability of this method is higher than 91%. Moreover, the research provides theory basis and models for establishing evaluation index system and exploring the evaluation method of heavy mental pollution in groundwater.

Risk assessment of heavy metals in topsoil along the banks of theYangtze River in Huangshi, China

High concentrations of heavy metal in farmland threatens food production and human health. Our study assesses soil quality and the distribution of Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni, to identify possible sources of heavy metals along the banks of the Yangtze River in Huangshi. Heavy metal concentrations of 22 topsoil samples were measured using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instrument and data was analyzed by multivariate statistic approaches. Heavy metal contamination risk assessment was performed using a combination of the Nemerow multi-factor index method, the Hakanson potential ecological risk index method and the Muller index of geo-accumulation method. These methods determined similar results indicating that cadmium(Cd) poses a health risk to residents at the study site while Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni do not. The Nemerow multi-factor index method demonstrated that 18 samples were heavily polluted, three moderately polluted and one lightly polluted. The Muller index of geo-accumulation method found ten samples were moderately to strongly polluted by Cd, five were moderately polluted, six were lightly to moderately polluted and one was lightly polluted. The Hakanson potential ecological risk index method proved six samples were strongly polluted, seven were moderately polluted and nine were lightly polluted. Since our sampling sites were all in agricultural lands, we recommend the potential ecological risk index method as the most effective given it not only considers the range of pollutants contributing to soil pollution but factors in heavy metals toxicity. We are apt that the source of the high concentrations of Cd found in topsoil is derived from alluvial sediments upstream of the Yangtze River with a high percentage of residual speciation and a low percentage of exchangeable speciation distribution of Cd. This in turns indicates that a high concentration of Cd in soil had little impact on the natural environment. However, 31.9% of the iron-manganese oxides bound speciation indicating that such levels of Cd in soil would be potentially hazardous to the crops, particularly if exposed to a reductive condition.

Occurrence,sources,and relationships of soil microplastics with adsorbed heavy metals in the Ebinur Lake Basin,Northwest China

There is a lack of research on soil microplastics in arid oases considering the rapid economic development of northwestern China.Here,we studied the occurrence and sources of microplastics in soil,as well as the relationships between microplastics and adsorbed heavy metals in the Ebinur Lake Basin,a typical arid oasis in China.Results showed that(1)the average microplastic content in all soil samples was 36.15(±3.27)mg/kg.The contents of microplastics at different sampling sites ranged from 3.89(±1.64)to 89.25(±2.98)mg/kg.Overall,the proportions of various microplastic shapes decreased in the following order:film(54.25%)>fiber(18.56%)>particle(15.07%)>fragment(8.66%)>foam(3.46%);(2)among all microplastic particles,white particles accounted for the largest proportion(52.93%),followed by green(24.15%),black(12.17%),transparent(7.16%),and yellow particles(3.59%).The proportions of microplastic particle size ranges across all soil samples decreased in the following order:1000-2000μm(40.88%)>500-1000μm(26.75%)>2000-5000μm(12.30%)>100-500μm(12.92%)>0-100μm(7.15%).FTIR(Fourier transform infrared)analyses showed that polyethylene terephthalate(PET),polypropylene(PP),polycarbonate(PC),polyethylene(PE),and polystyrene(PS)occurred in the studied soil;(3)random forest predictions showed that industrial and agricultural production activities and the discharge of domestic plastic waste were related to soil microplastic pollution,in which agricultural plastic film was the most important factor in soil pollution in the study area;and(4)seven heavy metals extracted from microplastics in the soil samples showed significant positive correlations with soil pH,EC,total salt,N,P,and K contents(P<0.01),indicating that these soil factors could significantly affect the contents of heavy metals carried by soil microplastics.This research demonstrated that the contents of soil microplastics are lower than other areas of the world,and they mainly come from industrial and agricultural activities of the Ebinur Lake Basin.