New insight into the geochemical mechanism and behavior of heavy metals in soil and dust fall of a typical copper smelter

Weijie Liu; Xinli Xing; Miao Li; Yue Yu; Tianpeng Hu; Yao Mao; Lili Liang; Yuan Zhang; Jiaquan Zhang; Shihua Qi

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.115638

New insight into the geochemical mechanism and behavior of heavy metals in soil and dust fall of a typical copper smelter

Environ Res. 2023 May 15:225:115638. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115638. Epub 2023 Mar 7.

Authors

Weijie Liu¹, Xinli Xing², Miao Li¹, Yue Yu³, Tianpeng Hu¹, Yao Mao¹, Lili Liang³, Yuan Zhang³, Jiaquan Zhang⁴, Shihua Qi³

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental Studies & State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Mine Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hubei Polytechnic University, Huangshi, 435003, China.
² School of Environmental Studies & State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Mine Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hubei Polytechnic University, Huangshi, 435003, China. Electronic address: xlxing@cug.edu.cn.
³ School of Environmental Studies & State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China.
⁴ Hubei Key Laboratory of Mine Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hubei Polytechnic University, Huangshi, 435003, China.

PMID: 36889563
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115638

Abstract

The desorption mechanism of heavy metals (HMs) in soil around the mining region are complex and affected by multiple pollution sources, including sewage discharge and atmospheric deposition. Meanwhile, pollution sources would change soil physical and chemical properties (mineralogy and organic matter), thus affecting the bioavailability of HMs. This study aimed to investigate the pollution source of HMs (Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in soil near mining, and further evaluate influence mechanism of dust fall on HMs pollution in soil by desorption dynamics processes and pH-dependence leaching test. Result presented that dust fall is the primary pollution source to HMs accumulation in soil. Additionally, the result of mineralogical analysis in dust fall revealed that quartz, kaolinite, calcite, chalcopyrite, and magnetite are the major mineralogical phases by XRD and SEM-EDS. Meanwhile, the abundance of kaolinite and calcite in dust fall is higher than in soil, which is the primary reason of higher acid-base buffer capacity of dust fall. Correspondingly, the weakened or disappeared of hydroxyl after the adding acid extraction (0-0.4 mmol· g^-1) demonstrated that hydroxyl is the main participants of HMs absorption in soil and dust fall. These combined findings suggested that atmospheric deposition not only increases the pollution loading of HMs in soil, but also changes the mineral phase composition of soil, which would increase the adsorption capacity and bioavailability of HMs in soil. This is very remarkable that heavy metals in soil influenced by dust fall pollution could be released preferentially when soil pH is changed. The present results of this study would provide efficient and scientific targeted strategies for pollution control of HMs in soil near mining areas.

Keywords: Atmospheric deposition; Desorption; Heavy metals; Mineralogy; Soil.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

China
Copper / analysis
Dust / analysis
Environmental Monitoring* / methods
Humans
Kaolin
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Risk Assessment
Soil / chemistry
Soil Pollutants* / analysis

Substances

Copper
Dust
Kaolin
Metals, Heavy
Soil
Soil Pollutants