Skip to main content
Log in

Accumulation and sources of heavy metals in urban topsoils: a case study from the city of Xuzhou, China

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

The knowledge of the variability, the anthropogenic versus natural origin and corresponding environmental risk for potentially harmful elements in urban topsoils is of importance to assess human impact. The aims of the present study were: (1) to assess the distribution of heavy metals (Sn, Li, Ga, Ba, Fe, Mn, Co, Be, Ti, Al, Hg, Cr, Sb, As, Bi, Pd, Pt, Au, Ni, Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Se, Mo, Sc and Ag) in urban environment; (2) to discriminate natural and anthropogenic contributions; and (3) to identify possible sources of pollution. Multivariate statistic approaches (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) were adopted for data treatment, allowing the identification of three main factors controlling the heavy metal variability in Xuzhou urban topsoils. Results demonstrate that Hg, Cr, Sb, As, Bi, Pd, Pt, Au, Ni, Cd, Br, Zn, Cu, S, Pb, Se, Mo, Sc and Ag could be inferred to be tracers of anthropogenic pollution, whereas Al, Ti, Ga, Li, V, Co, Pt, Mn and Be were interpreted to be mainly inherited from parent materials. Iron, Ba, Sn, Pd and Br were interpreted to be affected by mixed sources.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angelone M, Corrado T, Dowgiallo G (1995) Lead and cadmium distribution in urban soil and plants in the city of Rone: a preliminary study. In: Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on the biogeochemistry of trace elements, pp 23–24

  • Bacon JR, Berrow ML, Shand CA (1992) Isotopic composition as an indicator of origin of lead accumulations in surface soils. Int J Environ Anal Chem 46:71–76

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burguera JL, Burguera M, Rdondon C (1988) Lead in roadside soils of Merida City, Venezuela. Sci Total Environ 77:45–49

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cal-Prieto MJ, Carlosena A, Andrade JM et al (2001) Antimony as tracer of the anthropogenic influence on soils and estuarine sediments. Water Air Soil Pollut 119:248–333

    Google Scholar 

  • Carey AE, Gowen JA, Forchand TJ et al (1980) Heavy metal concentrations in soils of five United States cities. 1972 Urban Soils Monitoring Program. Pestic Monit J 13:150–154

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corwin DL, Wagenet RJ (1996) Applications of GIS to the modeling of nonpoint pollutants in the vadose zone: a conference overview. J Environ Qual 25:403–411

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Culbard EB, Thornton I, Watt J et al (1988) Metal contamination in British urban dusts and soils. J Environ Qual 17:226–234

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Czarnowska K (1980) Akumulacja Metali ciezick w glebachi niektoych zwieretach na erenie. Warzawy Rocz Glebozn 31:77–115

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davies BE, Houghton NJ (1984) Distance-decline patterns in heavy metal contamination of soils and plants in Birmingham, England. Urban Ecol 8:285–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Miguel E, Llamas JF, Chacon E et al (1997) Origin and patterns of distribution of trace elements in street dust: unleaded petrol and urban lead. Atmos Environ 31(17):2733–2740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drew HM (1975) Metal-based lubircant compositions. Noyes Data Corporation, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • Facchinelli A, Sacchi E, Mallen L (2001) Multivariate statistical and GIS-based approach to identify heavy metal sources in soils. Environ Pollut 114:313–324

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson MG, Farmer JG (1986) Multi-step chemical extraction of heavy metals from urban soils. Environ Pollut 11:117–135

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helmers E, Schwarzer M, Schuter M (1998) Comparison of palladium and platinum in environmental matrices: palladium pollution by automobile emissions? Environ Sci Pollut Res 5:44–50

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly J, Thornton I, Simpson PR (1996) Urban geochemistry: a study of the influence of anthropogenic activity on the heavy metal content of soils in traditionally industrial and non-industrial areas of Britain. Appl Geochem 11:363–370

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Poon C-s, Liu PS (2001) Heavy metal contamination of urban soils and street dusts in Hong Kong. Appl Geochem 16:1361–1368

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lux W (1986) Shhwermetallgehalte und isoplethen in Boden, subhydrishen Ablagerung und Pflanzen im Sudosten Hamburgs. Hamburger Bodenkudliche Arbeiten 5:249

    Google Scholar 

  • Manta DS, Angelone M, Bellanca A et al (2002) Heavy metals in urban soils: a case study from the city of Palermo (Sicily), Italy. Sci Total Environ 300:229–243

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ordóñez A, Loredo J, DeMiguel E et al (2003) Distribution of heavy metals in the street dusts and soils of an industrial city in Northern Spain. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 44:160–170

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paterson E, Sanka M, Clark L (1996) Urban soils as pollutant sinks—a case study from Aberdeen, Scotland. Appl Geochem 11:129–131

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pellicer DMJ (1985) Boletin aula de ecologia 4, Ayuntamiento de Madrid. Consejalia de Medio Ambiente, Madrid

  • Pfeiffer EM, Freytag J, Scharpenseel HW et al (1988) Trace elements and heavy metals in soils and plants of the southeast Asian Metropolis Metro Manila and of rice cultivation provinces in Luzon, Philippines. Hamburger Bodenkundliche Arbeiten 11:264

    Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-Camazano M, Sánchez-Martin MJ, Lorenzo LF (1994) Lead and cadmium in soils and vegetables from urban gardens of Salamanca (Spain). Sci Total Environ 146/147:163–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spittler TM, Feder WA (1979) A study of soil contamination and plant lead uptake in Boston urban gardens. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 10:1195

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steinmann M, Stille P (1997) Rare earth element behaviour and Pb, Sr, Nd isotope systematic in a heavy metal contaminated soil. Appl Geochem 12:607–623

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tiller KG (1992) Urban soil contamination in Australia. Aust J Soil Res 30:937–957

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Varrica D, Dongarra G, Sabatina G et al (2003) Inorganic geochemistry of roadway dust from the metropolitan area of Palermo, Italy. Environ Geol 44:222–230

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcke W, Muller S, Kanchanakool N et al (1998) Urban soil contamination in Bangkok: heavy metal and aluminium partitioning in topsoils.Geoderma 86:211–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xue Song Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, X.S., Qin, Y. & Sang, S.X. Accumulation and sources of heavy metals in urban topsoils: a case study from the city of Xuzhou, China. Environ Geol 48, 101–107 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1270-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1270-x

Keywords

Navigation