Fifty dust samples were collected from Xingtai City to study the source characteristics of heavy metals in suspended particles of urban road dust from industrial enterprise transformation cities. The contents of Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb in particles of urban road dust smaller than 100 μm were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and their pollution levels were assessed by enrichment factor. The possible sources of heavy metals measured in the dust were identified by multivariate statistical analysis methods including correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis. The results indicated that in comparison to the element background values of local soil, the particles of urban road dust smaller than 100 μm from Xingtai City had higher Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrations. The accumulation level of Co was the highest, followed by Zn, and Pb and Cu, whereas the other trace metals were deficient or showed minimal enrichment in the suspended road dust. The multivariate statistical analysis results showed that Cr, Mn, and Ni had significant positive correlation. These metals belong to both a principal component and a cluster, whereas Cu, Zn, and Pb belong to just a principal component. Considering the content characteristics and the results of multivariate statistical analysis of various heavy metal elements in the suspended samples, these results illustrated that the Cr, Mn, and Ni in the suspended particles of urban dust from Xingtai City roads mainly come from natural and industrial sources, whereas the Zn, Pb, and Cu originate from transportation and coal sources; As comes from natural sources, and Co is mainly affected by industrial activities.
Keywords: Xingtai City; heavy metal; pollution characteristics; source identification; suspended dust.