Objective To evaluate soil heavy metal pollution levels in Maling industrial area in Guizhou, and to provide scientific evidence for making corresponding prevention and control strategies.
Methods By equidistant grid arrangement of sampling points, 30 surface soil samples were collected in a 10-km2 area stretching about 4 km in north-south direction and 2.5 km in east-west direction in Maling industrial area. The pollution indices and potential ecological risk indices of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) were calculated.
Results The single pollutant indices of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in the soil samples collected in Maling industrial area were 0.63, 0.86, 0.84, 1.43, 0.62, and 2.23, respectively. The soil comprehensive pollution indices ranged from 0.27 to 5.83, with an average of 1.73, which indicated lightly polluted soil. The heavy metals with their potential ecological risks from high to low were Hg > Cd > As > Pb > Cu > Zn, and Hg and Cd were the main contribution factors to the ecological risk.
Conclusion The soil is lightly polluted in general. However, a severe ecological risk of Hg is identified, which should be paid enough attention to.
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