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Toxic metals in topsoil under different land uses from Xiandao District, middle China: distribution, relationship with soil characteristics, and health risk assessment

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Abstract

To explore mutual relationship among soil characteristics (soil organic matter, soil texture, cation exchange capacity, and pH), land uses, toxic metal (As, Hg, Mn, and Ni) distributions and induced health risk, 156 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) were collected from farm land, forest land and construction land in a grid pattern throughout Xiandao District. Compared with Hunan soil background values, the elevated concentrations of As, Hg and Ni were found to different extent. Pearson correlation matrix suggested As-silt, Mn-Ni, CEC-Mn, CEC-Ni, and CEC-pH had significantly positive correlation, and significantly negative correlation existed in SOM-pH, CEC-clay, SOM-Ni, and SOM-pH. Results based on the soil texture analysis, analysis of variance, and Tukey test indicated the concentrations of As and Ni were higher in relatively fine textures, and the mean contents of As, Mn, Ni, pH, and SOM in construction land, construction land, construction land, forest land, and construction land, respectively, were with the significant difference from that in the other two land uses. For non-carcinogenic effects, Hazard Indexes (HIs) of Ni, Hg, Mn, and As decreased in the order of As > Hg > Mn > Ni to both children and adults. Risk contributions of each exposure pathway decreased in the order of ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation of resuspended particles for HIAs, HIMn, and HINi. The inhalation of vapors was the highest contributor for HIHg, followed by ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation of resuspended particles. As and Hg were regarded as the priority pollutants. The hierarchical risk areas were identified after comprehensive consideration of local residential population density distribution, and the different risk management measures were finally suggested for the different priority areas.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51178172, 51039001, 51308076, and 51378190), the Project of Chinese Ministry of Education (113049A) and the Research Fund for the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT-13R17).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, People’s Republic of China

    Fei Li, Jinhui Huang, Guangming Zeng, Wenchu Liu, Xiaolong Huang, Bin Huang, Yanling Gu, Lixiu Shi, Xiaoxiao He & Yan He

  2. Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, China

    Fei Li, Jinhui Huang, Guangming Zeng, Wenchu Liu, Xiaolong Huang, Bin Huang, Yanling Gu, Lixiu Shi, Xiaoxiao He & Yan He

Authors
  1. Fei Li
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  2. Jinhui Huang
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  4. Wenchu Liu
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  5. Xiaolong Huang
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  7. Yanling Gu
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  8. Lixiu Shi
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  9. Xiaoxiao He
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  10. Yan He
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Correspondence to Jinhui Huang or Guangming Zeng.

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Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

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Li, F., Huang, J., Zeng, G. et al. Toxic metals in topsoil under different land uses from Xiandao District, middle China: distribution, relationship with soil characteristics, and health risk assessment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 12261–12275 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4425-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4425-7

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