Spatial distribution and environmental assessment of heavy metals in surface soil and ash near industrial sites: a case study

The industrialization process of every country in the world cannot be separated from the support of mineral resources, and the large-scale disorderly exploitation of mineral resources will bring serious heavy metal pollution, and then threaten the surrounding ecology and human health. In this paper, we selected the industrial sites in Yangershan mine in Tongling, Anhui Province, China as the survey object, the geological structure of the sampling point area is investigated, and the physical and chemical properties of heavy metals (Cr, As, Cd, and Pb) in the surface soil (SFS) and surface dust accumulation (SDA) of the industrial sites are detected. The HM pollution in the study area was comprehensively studied by various statistical methods. Results showed that the surface soil and dust around the industrial site are lower than the national standard (GB 15618-2008). The concentration of Cr in raw ore is high, which is a potential pollution source. The concentration of As in the surface dust accumulation was as high as 160-240 mg/kg, which was much higher than that in surface soil and raw ore. Except for a few sample points, the Pb concentration in the surface soil was significantly higher than that in the surface soil. The order of potential ecological hazard coefficient of the four heavy metals in the study area basically followed the order of Cd>As>Pb>Cr. The Cd in the surface soil and surface dust accumulation and As in the surface dust accumulation were significant ecological risk factors.

Automated summary

The study found that the surface soil and dust around the industrial site are lower than the national standard (GB 15618-2008), with high concentration of Cr in the raw ore being a potential pollution source. The potential ecological hazard coefficient of the four heavy metals in the study area basically followed the order of Cd>As>Pb>Cr.