Distribution of heavy metals in agricultural soils near a petrochemical complex in Guangzhou, China

Potential ecological risk of hazardous elements in different land-use urban soils of Bangladesh

Soil pollution, influenced by both the natural and anthropogenic factors, significantly reduces environmental quality. In this study, six hazardous elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb) in 12 different land-use urban soils from Bangladesh were assessed. The ranges of Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb in studied soils were 2.4-1258, 8.3-1044, 9.7-823, 8.7-277, 1.8-80 and 13-842 mg/kg, respectively. More than 70% of soil samples exceeded the Dutch target value for Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb concentration in soil, indicating a potential risk to the environment. Certain indices, including the enrichment factor (EF), pollution load index (PLI) and contamination factor (Cf(i)), were used to assess the ecological risk posed by hazardous elements in soils. The mean range of PLI was 1.5-10, indicating progressive deterioration of soil due to metal contamination. However, the Cf(i) values of Cd ranged from 3.7 to 35 revealed that the examined soils were strongly impacted by Cd. Considering the severity of potential ecological risk for single metal (Er(i)), the descending order of contaminants was Cd>As>Cu>Pb>Ni>Cr. In view of the potential ecological risk (PER), soils from all land uses showed considerable to very high potential ecological risk.

Assessment of ammonium, nitrate, phosphate, and heavy metal pollution in groundwater from Amik Plain, southern Turkey

Amik Plain is one of the most important agricultural areas of Turkey. Because the groundwater resources have been used not only for irrigation but also for drinking purpose, groundwater resources play a vital role in this area. However, there exist no or a very limited number of studies on groundwater quality and its physicochemical and heavy metal composition for Amik Plain. This study aimed to assess groundwater of Amik Plain in terms of human health and suitability for irrigation based on physicochemical variables, heavy metals, and their spatial distribution. A total of 92 groundwater samples were collected from wells and were analyzed for temperature (T), salt content (SC), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonium (NH4(+)), nitrate (NO3(-)), and phosphorus (P) and such heavy metals as cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). The temperature, SC, DO, NH4(+), and NO3(-) parameters were measured in situ immediately with YSI Professional plus instrument (Pro Plus). Water depth was taken from owner of the wells. Heavy metal analyses were carried out in triplicate using inductively coupled atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). The ICP-AES was calibrated for all the metals by running different concentrations of standard solutions. Descriptive statistical analyses were calculated to characterize distribution of physicochemical properties and heavy metal contents of groundwater. Correlation analysis was used to assess the possible relationships among heavy metals and physicochemical properties of the groundwater. Spatial variability in groundwater parameters were determined by geostatistical methods. Result shows that the highest and lowest coefficient of variation occurred for NO3(-) and T, respectively. Mean water table depth was 92.1 m, and only 12 of all the samples exceeded the desirable limit of 50 mg/L for NO3(-) content. The metal concentrations showed a dominance in the order of Fe > Mn > Ni > Cr > Cu > Zn > Co > Cd > Pb. All the samples had much higher Cd concentration than the guideline value for drinking water while Cu and Fe concentrations were below the guideline limit recommended by WHO.

Comparative performance of trace element bioaccumulation and biomonitoring in the plant species Typha domingensis, Phragmites australis and Arundo donax

Toxic levels of trace elements in the environment have been reported worldwide over the last few decades, and their increasing concentrations are of the utmost concern because of the adverse effects on human life and ecosystems. Several plant species are able to accumulate trace elements, and may be used for monitoring and remediation of polluted sites. This study compared the capacity of trace element bioaccumulation in three wetland plants distributed worldwide: Typha domingensis, Phragmites australis and Arundo donax. The aims were to identify which species show better potential for removal and monitoring of these elements: Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn. Results showed that all species may be used as biomonitors of trace element contamination in sediment, but only P. australis and A. donax showed also a correlation with water. Overall, T. domingensis and P. australis showed a greater capacity of bioaccumulation as well as a greater efficiency of element removal than A. donax. In particular, T. domingensis and P. australis may be used for Hg phytostabilization, the former acted also as a hyperaccumulator for Hg phytoextraction and as a promising species for As phytostabilization. In contaminated wetlands, the presence of T. domingensis and P. australis may increase the general retention of trace elements, thus, their introduction is recommended for possible actions of phytoremediation and biomonitoring.

Evaluation of the sources of contamination in the suburban area of Koropi-Markopoulo, Athens, Greece

Heavy metal concentrations were monitored in agricultural soils and irrigation groundwaters of Koropi-Markopoulo area, a representative agricultural suburb in Athens, Greece, aiming at the identification of the sources of contaminants. Multivariate analyses of geochemical data demonstrated that agricultural practices and industrial activities considerably affected the quality of both environmental compartments. The levels of Ni, Cr, Co, Mn and Fe in agricultural soils were associated with geological parent materials whereas Pb, Zn and Cu mainly originated from anthropic activities. Referring to groundwaters, individual major anions and cations (K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, Cl⁻) were influenced by various natural and anthropogenic factors whereas Ni, Cr, Cu and Zn were controlled by industrial and agronomic activities. The identification of the sources of contaminants in soil and groundwater environments is a valuable basis for encouraging mitigation strategies preventing further quality degradation.

Status of metal accumulation in farmland soils across China: from distribution to risk assessment

Increasing metal pollution has drawn broad public attention in China due to severe environmental quality deterioration. However, so far, there has been no study to survey metal accumulation in Chinese farmland soil at the national scale. In this study, we determined 11 metals in farmland soils across the Mainland China. Our results indicated the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu (10.1-184.2, 0.082-1.31, 20.2-321.9, 8.2-515.9 mg/kg, respectively) were elevated above their reference values. Moreover, these metals followed a similar geochemical distribution pattern. The accumulation of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in soils may be associated with human activities for soil fertility. Cadmium had the highest pollution index (PI) of 5.28, and the average hazard quotients (HQs) for all the metals were below 1. Hence, except for Cd, the metals in Chinese arable soils are comparatively safe. Results from this study may provide valuable information for agricultural soil management in China.

Effects of land use and parent materials on trace elements accumulation in topsoil

To determine the effects of parent material and land use on the concentration of trace elements in the agricultural topsoil of Guizhou Province, China, a total of 584 agricultural topsoil samples were collected in a typical region. The results indicate that the contents of trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb) in agricultural soils were greater than in the uncultivated soils, and the paddy fields exhibited higher contents of trace elements than dry lands. The enrichments of most trace elements in agricultural topsoil derived from carbonate rock were more serious. In paddy fields, Cd, Cr, and As showed positive relationships with soil organic matter ( < 0.01) but were not affected by pH, carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and clay ( > 0.05). Lead and Hg formed the second component in principal component analysis (PCA) and were closely related to pH and clay content. In dry lands, the trace elements were well correlated with pH, C/N, and clay ( < 0.05). Analysis of PCA and correlation showed that Cd, Cr, and Hg were mainly derived from inorganic fertilizers, whereas Pb and As were primarily from organic manures. These results suggest that the effect of anthropogenic activities on paddy fields is more serious than on dry lands. Parent materials not only serve as sources of soil trace elements but also control the loss and accumulation of trace elements by affecting soil physicochemical properties, especially in dry lands.

Determination of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in agricultural soils near a petrochemical complex in Guangzhou, China

The total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) pollution in regional agricultural soils was investigated. Seventy soil samples collected from surface layers (0-20 cm) and horizons of five selected pedons in the vicinity of a petrochemical complex in Guangzhou, China were analyzed, and the vertical variation and spatial variability of TPH were evaluated. The TPH concentration in top soils around the petrochemical complex ranged from 1,179.3 to 6,354.9 mg kg( - 1), with the average of 2,676.6 mg kg( - 1). Furthermore, significant differences between land-use types showed that the TPH concentration in top soils was strongly influenced by accidental spills. Both the TPH trends in pedons and the identified hot-spot areas also showed that the accidental explosions or burning accidents were mainly responsible for the pollution. The results reported here suggest that the regular monitoring and inspection shall be conducted for safety and to avoid or minimize the accidents, and the effective measures should be taken to remediate the contaminated areas and to assure that the important industrialization of Guangzhou area would not mean human health risks near the petrochemical complex.

Use of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for environmental quality assessment of peri-urban agriculture

Urban expansion into traditional agricultural lands has augmented the potential for heavy metal contamination of soils. This study examined the utility of field portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometry for evaluating the environmental quality of sugarcane fields near two industrial complexes in Louisiana, USA. Results indicated that PXRF provided quality results of heavy metal levels comparable to traditional laboratory analysis. When coupled with global positioning system technology, the use of PXRF allows for on-site interpolation of heavy metal levels in a matter of minutes. Field portable XRF was shown to be an effective tool for rapid assessment of heavy metals in soils of peri-urban agricultural areas.

Mercury in United Kingdom topsoils; concentrations, pools, and Critical Limit exceedances

The median total mercury concentration in 898 UK rural topsoils, sampled between 1998 and 2008, was 0.095 μg g(-1). Approximate adjustment for unreactive metal produced an estimate of 0.052 μg g(-1) for reactive Hg. The highest concentrations were in the north and west, where organic-rich soils with low bulk densities dominate, but the spatial pattern was quite different if soil Hg pools (mg m(-2)) were considered, the highest values being near to the industrial north of England and London. Possible toxic effects of Hg were best evaluated by comparison with soil Critical Limits expressed as ratios of Hg to soil organic matter, or soil solution Hg(2+) concentrations, estimated by chemical speciation modelling. Only a few percent of the rural UK soils showed exceedance, and this also applied to rural soils from the whole of Europe. UK urban and industrial soils had higher Hg concentrations and more cases of exceedance.

Concentrations of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in needles of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) growing nearby different industrial sources

Emissions from industrial activities pose a serious threat to human health and impose the need for monitoring both inorganic and organic pollutants in industrial areas. We selected Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) as potential biomonitor and collected the current (C) and previous year (C+1) needles from three industrial sites dominated by petrochemical, ceramics manufacturing, and iron and steel smelting plants and one remote site to determine heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni and Co) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in unwashed and water-washed needles. Both unwashed and washed C+1 needles showed generally higher concentrations of heavy metals and PAHs than C needles, although the washed needles more clearly spotlighted the accumulation effect of PAHs over exposure time. Water-washing resulted in a significant decrease in needle PAH concentrations with more significant effects shown in C needles. By contrast, needle heavy metal concentrations were much less affected by washing. Although heavy metals and PAHs might differ in adsorption and uptake strategies, their higher concentrations in the needles at the industrial sites indicated conspicuous contamination due to industrial emissions there. The PAH distribution patterns in pine needles accorded with the real types of energy consumption in the study sites and were efficiently used for pinpointing local pollutant sources.