Spatial distribution and source identification of heavy metals in surface soils in a typical coal mine city, Lianyuan, China

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 225; pp. 681 - 690
• Main Authors: Liang, Jie, Feng, Chunting, Zeng, Guangming, Gao, Xiang, Zhong, Minzhou, Li, Xiaodong, Li, Xin, He, Xinyue, Fang, Yilong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2017
• Subjects: Agriculture; China; Cities; Coal Mining; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollution - analysis; Heavy metals; Industry; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Models, Theoretical; Positive matrix factorization (PMF); Soil; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Source apportionment; Spatial distribution; Soil; Positive matrix factorization (PMF); Spatial distribution; Source apportionment; Heavy metals
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.03.057

In this study, we investigated the pollution degree and spatial distribution of heavy metals and determined their sources in topsoil in a typical coal mine city, Lianyuan, Hunan Province, China. We collected 6078 soil surface samples in different land use types. And the concentrations of Zn, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, As, Mo, V, Mn, Fe and Cr were measured. The average contents of all heavy metals were lower than their corresponding Grade II values of Chinese Soil Quality Standard with the exception of Hg. However, average contents of twelve heavy metals, except for Mn, exceeded their background level in soils in Hunan Province. Based on one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the contents of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, Mo and V were related to the anthropogenic source and there were statistically significant differences in their concentrations among different land use patterns. The spatial variation of heavy metal was visualized by GIS. The PMF model was used to ascertain contamination sources of twelve heavy metals and apportion their source contributions in Lianyuan soils. The results showed that the source contributions of the natural source, atmospheric deposition, industrial activities and agricultural activities accounted for 33.6%, 26.05%, 23.44% and 16.91%, respectively. [Display omitted] •The degree of heavy metals enrichment in soils in a typical coal mine city, Lianyuan.•The heavy metals spatial distributions were closely related with human activities.•Comparison of heavy metal contents in soils among different land use patterns.•Source apportionments of heavy metals were identified using PMF. Main finding: Heavy metal contents were different among different land use patterns. Various sources of heavy metals in soils were determined by the PMF model.