Assessment of Soil Contamination by Heavy Metals: A Case of Turkistan Region

Background. The concentrations of heavy metals in soil and potential risks to the environment and public health are receiving increased attention in China. Objectives. The objective of this paper is to review and analyze heavy metals soil contamination in urban and agricultural areas and on a national scale in China. Methods. Initially, data on soil heavy metals concentration levels were gathered from previous studies and narratively analyzed. A further statistical analysis was performed using the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), Nemerow integrated pollution index (NIPI), mean, standard deviation (SD), skewness and kurtosis. Pollution levels were calculated and tabulated to illustrate overall spatial variations. In addition, pollution sources, remedial measures and impact of soil contamination as well as limitations are addressed. Results. The concentration level of heavy metals was above the natural background level in most areas of China. The problem was more prevalent in urban soils than agricultural soils. At the national level, the soil in most of the southern provinces and Beijing were heavily polluted. Even though the pollution condition based on Igeo was promising, the Nemerow integrated pollution level was the most worrisome. The soils in about 53% of the provinces were moderately to heavily polluted (NIPI>2). The effects were noticed in terms of both public and ecological health risks. The major sources were waste gas, wastewater, and hazardous residuals from factories and agricultural inputs such as pesticides. Efforts have been made to reduce the concentrations and health risks of heavy metals, including policy interventions, controlling contamination sources, reducing the phytoavailability of heavy metals, selecting and rearing of grain cultivars with low risk of contamination, paddy water and fertilizer management, land use changes, phytoremediation and engineering techniques. Conclusions. China is experiencing rapid economic and technological advancements. This increases the risk of heavy metals contamination of soil. If serious attention is not paid to this problem, soil toxicity and biological accumulation will continue to threaten the sustainability of China's development. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests

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HYGIENIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTENT OF CHEMICALS IN THE SOIL OF MINING AREAS OF THE TRANS-BAIKAL REGION

Hygiene and Sanitation ◽

10.18821/0016-9900-2019-98-4-400-410 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 98 (4) ◽

pp. 400-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

L. A. Mikhailova ◽

M. A. Solodukhina ◽

O. G. Alekseeva ◽

N. M. Burlaka ◽

S. E. Lapa

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Soil Contamination ◽

Chemical Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry ◽

Arsenic Content ◽

Toxic Substances ◽

Residential Areas ◽

Entire Area ◽

Mining Areas

Introduction. Intensive exploration and processing of mineral raw materials in the Trans-Baikal territory has caused the accumulation of considerable amount of industrial mining waste with high content of chemical elements of different classes of hazard. Currently 33 tailings storage facilities (TSF) accumulating approximately 3 milliard tons of different industrial waste are located in the territory of the region. The aim of the research is the hygienic assessment of soil contamination in the residential areas adjacent to TSFs. Material and methods. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry method was used for the determination of heavy metals. The study presents the results of analyses of 444 samples of gross content of lead, zinc, copper, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium in the soil of Khapcheranga, Sherlovaya Gora, Kadaya, Vershino-Darasunsky, and Vershino-Shakhtaminsky mining villages throughout the duration of 2012 - 2015. Results. During the period of the study the total value of soil contamination with Zc calculated by the median concentrations in Khapcheranga Village amounted to 4.7 6.9, in Vershino-Shakhtaminaky - to 6.7 8.8, which corresponds to the «allowable» level of the contamination. Zc calculation by maximum concentrations has shown the soil to be referred to the category from “moderately dangerous” to “extremely dangerous”; this value in Khapcheranga Village amounted to 48.7 - 235.3, in Vershino-Shakhtaminsky Village - to 23.76 - 164.8. Discussion. In the residential areas the allowable degree of soil contamination was determined to be predominantly observed; Khapcheranga and Vershino-Shakhtaminsky villages are the exceptions. The results of the assessment give the evidence of tge increased lead, cadmium and arsenic content throughout the entire area of the villages, while the highest levels of accumulated toxic substances are registered in the areas located near the TSF Conclusion. Thus, several zones of natural and anthropogenous contamination with increased concentrations of heavy metals and arsenic have been formed in the Trans-Baikal Territory. This dictates the need to study the influence of geochemical anomalies on the health of population.

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State of Heavy Metals Pollution of Flooded Agricultural Land in the North Part of Republic of Srpska

Агрознање ◽

10.7251/agren1601019p ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 19

Author(s):

Tihomir Predić ◽

Petra Nikić Nauth ◽

Bojana Radanović ◽

Alen Predić

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Soil Contamination ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Total Content ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Available Phosphorus ◽

The North ◽

North Part ◽

Grid Points ◽

Phosphorus And Potassium

This paper presents the results of the research of soil contamination in flooded area located at the confluence of Bosna and Sava rivers. The sampling was performed according to a network of points Etrs89 reference European Network based on grid points of 500 m x 500 m. The total number of soil samples was 31 and 13 samples of sediment-mud. In the soil samples and sediment-mud samples various parameters were analyzed: pH H2O and 1 M KCl, humus (method by Tjurin), and the readily available phosphorus and potassium (AL method). The interpretation of total content of heavy metals in the soil was conducted according to Dutch Soil Remediation Circular (2009). The samples were analyzed for the total content of heavy metals: Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu (aqua regia digestion, AAS) and the elevated concentrations of Ni. However, Ni content in mud was from 240.5 mg/kg to 294.5 mg/kg, in soil it was from 128.9 mg/kg to 452.1 mg/kg. All mud samples were alkaline, and 79% of soil samples were alkaline and of neutral reaction. The analysis indicated that the flood in May 2014 was not caused by soil contamination with heavy metals, which however contributed to the increase of the overall content of these elements in the soil.

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