To identify the characteristics and sources of heavy metal pollution in the surrounding soil of a typical pyrite concentrated mining area in Anhui Province, the pH value and the concentrations of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Hg, and As in 42 surface soil samples and 16 soil samples from two vertical sections in the study area were collected and measured. The distribution characteristics, pollution assessment, and source analysis of heavy metal elements were conducted using the ArcGis inverse distance weight interpolation method, Nemero comprehensive index method, principal component analysis method, and absolute factor score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) receptor model. The results showed that the average concentration of the eight heavy metals was 1.03-13.14 times the background value in the Tongling area. The local enrichment of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Hg, and As was obvious, and the spatial distribution was basically consistent with the location of man-made mining activities. The single-factor pollution index evaluation showed that Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and As had different degrees of pollution risk, and the pollution degree of Cd and Cu was the most serious, accounting for 47.62% and 42.86% of moderate pollution, respectively. The Nemerow comprehensive pollution index evaluation showed that 61.90% of the soil samples in the study area were moderately polluted. The ground accumulation index evaluation showed that the pollution degree of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Hg, and As in the study area was mainly from light pollution to strong pollution. In the vertical soil profile variation, heavy metals were easily enriched in the surface layer of the soil but migrated slowly to the deep layer, with concentrations mainly above 1 m. The results of source analysis showed that the high geological background and mining contribution rates of Zn, Pb, and As were 37.82%, 43.49%, and 46.63%, respectively. The natural contribution rates of weathering of parent material were 34.02%, 40.88%, and 38.52%, respectively. The sources of Cr and Ni were mainly natural sources of weathering of the parent material, with contribution rates of 91.95% and 73.68%, respectively. Geological high background and mining activities contributed 41.91% of the Cu sources, and atmospheric sedimentation and agricultural comprehensive sources contributed 41.30%. There were many sources of Hg. The natural source of weathering of soil parent material contributed 35.60%, geological high background and mining activities contributed 29.87%, and unknown sources contributed 34.05%. The main source of Cd was atmospheric sedimentation and agricultural comprehensive sources, contributing 81.81%.
Keywords: APCS-MLR receptor model; distribution characteristics; heavy metals in soil; source analysis; typical pyrite concentrated mining area.