Abstract
Heavy metal pollution is a widespread phenomenon in many countries of the world. In this study, we conducted a field investigation to assess the status of heavy metal pollution in urban soils of Dushanzi, a district of Karamay city in Xinjiang, China. A total of 56 soil samples in the topsoil layer of 0–15 cm were collected within the urban area and seven elements (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, As and Ni) were analyzed. The mean concentrations of these metals were all higher than their corresponding background values of soils in Xinjiang. We used the pollution index and ecological risk index to assess the degree of heavy metal pollution and the potential ecological risk of urban soils. The pollution index values of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, As and Ni were 1.81, 1.35, 4.64, 1.27, 1.80, 1.39 and 1.22, respectively; and the potential ecological risk index values for them were 12.03, 1.79, 185.05, 8.39, 4.78, 18.44 and 1.79, respectively. These results indicated that urban soils in Dushanzi were polluted by heavy metals to some extent and demonstrated a high ecological risk, as influenced by industrial activities. Cd was the key element for the metal pollution of urban soils in the study area. Correlation analyses, principal component analysis coupled with the spatial distribution maps of element concentrations further revealed that heavy metal pollution of urban soils can be mainly attributed to petrochemical industry, coal chemical industry, traffic and commercial activities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chen T B, Zheng Y M, Lei M, et al. 2005. Assessment of heavy metal pollution in surface soils of urban parks in Beijing, China. Chemosphere, 60(4): 542–551.
China National Environmental Monitoring Centre. 1990. Soil Element Background Values of China. Beijing: China Environmental Science Press. (in Chinese)
Hakanson L. 1980. An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control: a sedimentological approach. Water Research, 14(8): 975–1001.
Hu Y N, Wang D X, Wei L J, et al. 2014. Heavy metal contamination of urban topsoils in a typical region of Loess Plateau, China. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 14(5): 928–935.
Jiang X, Lu W X, Zhao H Q, et al. 2014. Potential ecological risk assessment and prediction of soil heavy metal pollution around coal gangue dump. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2(3): 1599–1610.
Li W L, Xu B B, Song Q J, et al. 2014. The identification of ‘hotspots’ of heavy metal pollution in soil-rice systems at a regional scale in eastern China. Science of the Total Environment, 472: 407–420.
Li X P, Huang C C. 2007. Environment impact of heavy metals on urban soil in the vicinity of industrial area of Baoji city, P.R. China. Environmental Geology, 52(8): 1631–1637.
Li X X. 2014. Distribution of the heavy metal in urban soils. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 6(6): 2260–2263.
Li X Y, Liu L J, Wang Y G, et al. 2013. Heavy metal contamination of urban soil in an old industrial city (Shenyang) in Northeast China. Geoderma, 192: 50–58.
Liao X Y, Chen T B, Wu B, et al. 2006. Mining urban soil pollution: concentrations and patterns of heavy metals in the soils of Jinchang, China. Geographical Research, 25(5): 843–852. (in Chinese)
Luo X S, Yu S, Zhu Y G, et al. 2012. Trace metal contamination in urban soils of China. Science of the Total Environment, 421–422: 17–30.
Maas S, Scheifler R, Benslama M, et al. 2010. Spatial distribution of heavy metal concentrations in urban, suburban and agricultural soils in a Mediterranean city of Algeria. Environmental Pollution, 158(6): 2294–2301.
Manta D S, Angelone M, Bellanca A, et al. 2002. Heavy metals in urban soils: a case study from the city of Palermo (Sicily), Italy. Science of the Total Environment, 300(1–3): 229–243.
Meyer I, Heinrich J, Lippold U. 1999. Factors affecting lead, cadmium, and arsenic levels in house dust in a smelter town in eastern Germany. Environmental Research, 81(1): 32–44.
Micó C, Recatalá L, Peris M, et al. 2006. Assessing heavy metal sources in agricultural soils of an European Mediterranean area by multivariate analysis. Chemosphere, 65(5): 863–872.
Mielke H W, Gonzales C R, Smith M K, et al. 1999. The urban environment and children’s health: soils as an integrator of lead, zinc, and cadmium in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. Environmental Research, 81(2): 117–129.
Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo J L. 2004. Metal pollution of soils and vegetation in an area with petrochemical industry. Science of the Total Environment, 321(1–3): 59–69.
Qiao S Y, Li W C, He F, et al. 2005. Characteristics and controlling factors of heavy metal contents in urban soils in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province. Geochimica, 34(6): 635–642. (in Chinese)
Ren W X, Xue B, Geng Y, et al. 2014. Inventorying heavy metal pollution in redeveloped brownfield and its policy contribution: case study from Tiexi District, Shenyang, China. Land Use Policy, 38: 138–146.
Rodríguez J A, Nanos N, Grau J M, et al. 2008. Multiscale analysis of heavy metal contents in Spanish agricultural topsoils. Chemosphere, 70(6): 1085–1096.
Shi G T, Chen Z L, Xu S Y, et al. 2008. Potentially toxic metal contamination of urban soils and roadside dust in Shanghai, China. Environmental Pollution, 156(2): 251–260.
State Environmental Protection Administration of China. 1995. Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils (GB15618-1995). [2016-04-21]. http://www.chinaep.net/hjbz/hjbz017.htm.
Sun Y B, Zhou Q X, Xie X K, et al. 2010. Spatial, sources and risk assessment of heavy metal contamination of urban soils in typical regions of Shenyang, China. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 174(1–3): 455–462.
Wang M E, Bai Y Y, Chen W P, et al. 2012a. A GIS technology based potential eco-risk assessment of metals in urban soils in Beijing, China. Environmental Pollution, 161: 235–242.
Wang M E, Markert B, Chen W P, et al. 2012b. Identification of heavy metal pollutants using multivariate analysis and effects of land uses on their accumulation in urban soils in Beijing, China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 184(10): 5889–5897.
Wei B G, Jiang F Q, Li X M, et al. 2010. Heavy metal induced ecological risk in the city of Urumqi, NW China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 160(1–4): 33–45.
Wu X M, Li L Q, Pan G X, et al. 2003. Soil pollution of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in different city zones of Nanjing. Environmental Science, 24(3): 105–111. (in Chinese)
Yang Z P, Lu W X, Long Y Q, et al. 2011. Assessment of heavy metals contamination in urban topsoil from Changchun City, China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 108(1): 27–38.
Yesilonis I D, Pouyat R V, Neerchal N K. 2008. Spatial distribution of metals in soils in Baltimore, Maryland: role of native parent material, proximity to major roads, housing age and screening guidelines. Environmental Pollution, 156(3): 723–731.
Zhao X F, Wang Q S, Shi N N, et al. 2010. Analysis and assessment of soil heavy metals around a petrochemical industry park. Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae, 30(1): 133–141. (in Chinese)
Zheng Y M, Chen T B, He J Z. 2008. Multivariate geostatistical analysis of heavy metals in topsoils from Beijing, China. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 8(1): 51–58.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, W., Lai, Y., Ma, Y. et al. Heavy metal contamination of urban topsoil in a petrochemical industrial city in Xinjiang, China. J. Arid Land 8, 871–880 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-016-0057-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-016-0057-0