Tracing Pb and Possible Correlated Cd Contamination in Soils by Using Lead Isotopic Compositions

Yi Huang; Shipeng Zhang; Ying Chen; Li Wang; Zhijie Long; Scott S Hughes; Shijun Ni; Xin Cheng; Jinjin Wang; Ting Li; Rui Wang; Chao Liu

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121528

Tracing Pb and Possible Correlated Cd Contamination in Soils by Using Lead Isotopic Compositions

J Hazard Mater. 2020 Mar 5:385:121528. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121528. Epub 2019 Nov 4.

Authors

Yi Huang¹, Shipeng Zhang², Ying Chen², Li Wang³, Zhijie Long², Scott S Hughes⁴, Shijun Ni², Xin Cheng², Jinjin Wang², Ting Li², Rui Wang², Chao Liu²

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Sichuan, 610059, China; Department of Geochemistry, Chengdu University of Technology, China. Electronic address: huangyi@cdut.cn.
² Department of Geochemistry, Chengdu University of Technology, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Sichuan, 610059, China.
⁴ Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, ID, USA.

PMID: 31735468
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121528

Abstract

Concentrations of Pb and Cd in topsoil from 24 locations along the Baguan River near a smelting dump in west Panzhihua were measured using ICP-MS to examine the spatial distributions of these toxic heavy metals. Twenty-one profile samples, 7 from each of 3 locations down to 80 cm, were also analyzed to establish background levels and Pb - Cd correlations. Lead isotopic ratios in all 45 samples and potential sources of soil contamination were determined using MC-ICP-MS. Contamination levels of Pb and Cd in soils from both sides of the river ranged from low to moderate, and the concentrations of Pb and Cd exhibited highly correlated behavior. Results of an isotope-tracer technique determined the number of end-member contaminants and background compositions contributing to the compositions of topsoils. Results of a binary mixing model indicated that contaminants in upslope soils from relatively higher elevations were coal and derivative products, and that these soils are isotopically distinct from downslope soils. Contaminants in downslope soils were slag and derivative products from V processing. Results demonstrate the use of Pb isotopic tracers in low-to-moderate contaminant levels to predict potential sources and Pb is a viable surrogate to trace potential Cd contamination in Panzhihua region.

Keywords: Cadmium; Contaminant sources; Isotope tracing; Lead.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't