Pollution characteristics and source identification of soil metal(loid)s at an abandoned arsenic-containing mine, China

Hongzhen Ran; Zhaohui Guo; Liwen Yi; Xiyuan Xiao; Li Zhang; Zhihao Hu; Changzhou Li; Yunxia Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125382

Pollution characteristics and source identification of soil metal(loid)s at an abandoned arsenic-containing mine, China

J Hazard Mater. 2021 Jul 5:413:125382. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125382. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

Authors

Hongzhen Ran¹, Zhaohui Guo², Liwen Yi³, Xiyuan Xiao¹, Li Zhang¹, Zhihao Hu¹, Changzhou Li¹, Yunxia Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China.
² Institute of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China. Electronic address: zhguo@csu.edu.cn.
³ Institute of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China; College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410083, PR China.

PMID: 33930954
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125382

Abstract

Mining activities can result in serious contamination of soil by heavy metal(loid)s. In this study, the sources and spatial distribution of metal(loid)s, and the risks to public health from these metal(loid)s at an abandoned arsenic mine site were explored. The mean concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), strontium (Sr), and thallium (Tl) in the soil in the mining area were higher than the mean background values. The main pollutants from the mining activities were As, Hg, and Sb. Five pollutant sources were identified using an approach that combined statistical methods, a positive matrix factorization model, and historical information analysis. As, Hg, Sb, and Tl were associated with the mining resources and related activities (37.29%); Mn (15.57%) and Sr (15.96%) were mainly from crustal origin and pedogenesis, respectively; Pb, Sb, and Tl were mainly from industrial sources (17.57%), and Cd was mainly from the production and application of phosphorous fertilizer (13.60%). Using incremental spatial autocorrelation crystallized that As, Hg, and Sb were mainly contained within 500 m of their source. There were formed existing non-carcinogenic hazards and carcinogenic risks from As, and potential carcinogenic risks from Cd, in the soil for those living locally.

Keywords: Incremental spatial autocorrelation; Metal(loid) mine; Positive matrix factorizing model; Risk assessment; Spatial distribution.

Publication types

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