ZHOU Kai-sheng. Heavy metal pollution in soil and vegetables in Bengbu City and its vicinities[J]. Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, 2018, 35(10): 910-916. DOI: 10.13213/j.cnki.jeom.2018.18214
Citation: ZHOU Kai-sheng. Heavy metal pollution in soil and vegetables in Bengbu City and its vicinities[J]. Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, 2018, 35(10): 910-916. DOI: 10.13213/j.cnki.jeom.2018.18214

Heavy metal pollution in soil and vegetables in Bengbu City and its vicinities

  • Objective To understand heavy metal pollution in soil and vegetables in Bengbu City and its vicinities, evaluate potential ecological hazards, and provide scientific basis for the prevention and control of soil heavy metal pollution and the production of pollution-free vegetables in studied areas.

    Methods A total of 56 soil samples from 7 sampling sites and 15 vegetable samples from 4 sampling sites were collected in Bengbu City and its surrounding areas in March 2013. After the samples were digested by four acids (HCl-HNO3-HF-HClO4), the contents of Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb in soil or vegetable samples were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry, and the contents of As in soil samples by atomic fluorescence spectrometry, respectively. Single-factor pollution index and potential ecological risk index were used to evaluate heavy metal pollution in studied areas.

    Results The results showed that the soil of Bengbu city and its surrounding areas were polluted by heavy metals to varying degrees in this study. The median levels (ranges) of Cu, Cr, Cd, Pb, and As in soil samples were 65.94 (30.91-119.88), 4.39 (0.74-8.84), 18.64 (0.25-63.62), 90.94 (48.47-171.04), and 0.62 (0.13-1.90) mg/kg, respectively. The median levels (ranges) of Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb in vegetable samples (fresh weight) were 1.71 (0.17-11.42), 0.97 (0.08-3.78), 1.39 (0.03-8.24), and 1.44 (0.19-5.40) mg/kg, separately. The contents of Cr, Cd, and Pb in vegetables (fresh weight) exceeded the limits stipulated in the Standard of Limits on Contaminants in Food(GB 2762-2012) and the ratios were 3.43, 5.21, and 6.39, respectively, indicating that there was food safety risk. The enrichment coefficients of vegetables for Cr, Cd, Cu, and Pb were all less than 1, and the enrichment capacities were ranked as Cd > Cu > Cr=Pb in leaf vegetables and Cd > Cu > Cr > Pb in tuber vegetables, respectively. The single-factor pollution index evaluation showed that the soils were seriously polluted by Cr, with a high-to-low order of Cd > Pb > Cr > Cu > As according to contamination degrees of the 5 heavy metals. The results of ecological risk assessment showed that the potential ecological hazards of Cr, Cu, Pd, and As in the soil were all slight, but the potential ecological hazard of Cd was very strong, with a high-to-low order of Cd > Pb > Cu > Cr > As; however, the comprehensive potential ecological hazard was moderate.

    Conclusion There are risks of heavy metal pollution in soil and vegetables in Bengbu City and its vicinities, and there are also food safety hazards in vegetables.

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