Trace element contaminations of roadside soils from two cultivated wetlands after abandonment in a typical plateau lakeshore, China

Total concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in order to assess their changes in contamination levels in roadside soils of long-term abandoned tillage (LAT) belt and short-term abandoned tillage (SAT) belt from a plateau lakeshore of China. Results showed that the mean concentrations of these trace elements except for Cd and Pb were lower than background values. The contamination index values of these trace elements fluctuated and generally decreased with increasing distances from the road in both sampling belts except for Cu and Ni. Both LAT and SAT soils were facing Cd and Pb contamination. The integrated contamination level was more serious in LAT soils compared to SAT soils, with heavy contamination levels at the distances from 5 to 10 m in LAT soils. The effects of the studied rural road on both belts were clearly shown up to 250 m away from the road.