Source Identification and Apportionment of Potential Toxic Elements in Soils in an Eastern Industrial City, China

The extensive pattern of economic growth has an inestimable negative impact on the ecological environment, which causes the soil pollution problem to become increasingly prominent. In order to improve the effectiveness and rationality of prevention and control of heavy metal pollution in regional soil, it is necessary to understand the current situation of pollution, identify pollution sources and clarify future pollution risks. In this paper, an industrially developed city in eastern China was taken as the study region. The positive matrix factorization model (PMF) model and Unmix model was applied to identify and apportion the pollution sources of soil potential toxic elements after evaluating the ecological risk of soil potential toxic elements. The PMF model identified six factors, including single source and composite source. The Unmix model also identified six sources, including sources of nature, industrial discharge and traffic emissions. The comparison between the two models showed that Hg and Ni pollution, as well as Cr enrichment in the study region, were related to the industrial discharge from enterprises and factories. Cd pollution was related to traffic emission sources. Cu and Zn pollution were related to the multiple sources mixed with soil parent material, traffic emissions and industrial discharge from electronic enterprises. Pb pollution was related to natural sources (e.g., soil pH) but also to industrial sources (e.g., industrial wastes discharge). Enrichment was related to soil parent material and agricultural inputs. Our study also implies that soil heavy metal pollution or enrichment in the study region was mainly from anthropogenic sources and supplemented by natural sources.

Automated summary

The extensive economic growth has a significant negative impact on the ecology, resulting in prominent soil pollution problems. This study focuses on an industrially developed city in eastern China to understand the current situation of soil pollution, identify pollution sources, and assess future pollution risks. The application of the PMF and Unmix models reveals various pollution sources, including industrial discharge, traffic emissions, and natural sources. The study finds that pollution of heavy metals such as Hg, Ni, and Cr is primarily caused by industrial discharge, while Cd pollution is related to traffic emissions. Cu and Zn pollution are attributed to a combination of sources such as soil parent material, traffic emissions, and industrial discharge from electronic enterprises. Pb pollution is influenced by both natural sources (e.g., soil pH) and industrial sources (e.g., industrial waste discharge). Enrichment is influenced by soil parent material and agricultural inputs. The findings suggest that soil heavy metal pollution in the study region is mainly caused by human activities, supplemented by natural factors.