Heavy metals pollution in pharmaceutical industries received increasing attention. A total of 94 soil samples were collected in this study. Results showed the mean contents of Hg, Cd, As, Pb, Ni and Cu were 0.21, 0.26, 9.59, 55.06, 51.52 and 50.81 mg·kg-1, respectively. The spatial distribution of metals in topsoil largely attributed to the pharmaceutical production process. The distribution of Hg and As were related to the production of medical absorbent cotton. While Ni was related to the fuel supply of Ni-rich coal. Cr, Cu and Pb mainly distributed in the process which they were used as catalysts. The vertical migration of metals was complex in soil. To a great extent, it was related to the texture of the soil and the properties of metals in this filed. The total non-cancer and cancer human health risk were within the limits of USEPA (10-6 a-1). This demonstrated the health risks of individual's exposure to heavy metals in this factory was acceptable.
Keywords: Heavy metal; Human health risks; Migration; Pharmaceutical industrial area; Spatial distribution.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.