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Journal of Arid Land  2016, Vol. 8 Issue (6): 871-880    DOI: 10.1007/s40333-016-0057-0
Research Articles     
Heavy metal contamination of urban topsoil in a petrochemical industrial city in Xinjiang, China
WANG Wei1*, LAI Yingshuai1, MA Yuanyuan1, LIU Zilong1, WANG Shufen2, HONG Chenglin1
1 School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory for Green Process of Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Bingtuan, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China;
2 College of Sciences & Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China
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Abstract  Heavy metal pollution is a widespread phenomenon in many countries of the world. In this study, we conducted a field investigation to assess the status of heavy metal pollution in urban soils of Dushanzi, a district of Karamay city in Xinjiang, China. A total of 56 soil samples in the topsoil layer of 0–15 cm were collected within the urban area and seven elements (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, As and Ni) were analyzed. The mean concentrations of these metals were all higher than their corresponding background values of soils in Xinjiang. We used the pollution index and ecological risk index to assess the degree of heavy metal pollution and the potential ecological risk of urban soils. The pollution index values of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, As and Ni were 1.81, 1.35, 4.64, 1.27, 1.80, 1.39 and 1.22, respectively; and the potential ecological risk index values for them were 12.03, 1.79, 185.05, 8.39, 4.78, 18.44 and 1.79, respectively. These results indicated that urban soils in Dushanzi were polluted by heavy metals to some extent and demonstrated a high ecological risk, as influenced by industrial activities. Cd was the key element for the metal pollution of urban soils in the study area. Correlation analyses, principal component analysis coupled with the spatial distribution maps of element concentrations further revealed that heavy metal pollution of urban soils can be mainly attributed to petrochemical industry, coal chemical industry, traffic and commercial activities.

Key wordsSayram Lake      inland lake      areal variation      water level change      glacial retreat     
Received: 23 December 2015      Published: 01 December 2016
Fund:  

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21267020, 21467026).

Corresponding Authors:
Cite this article:

WANG Wei, LAI Yingshuai, MA Yuanyuan, LIU Zilong, WANG Shufen, HONG Chenglin. Heavy metal contamination of urban topsoil in a petrochemical industrial city in Xinjiang, China. Journal of Arid Land, 2016, 8(6): 871-880.

URL:

http://jal.xjegi.com/10.1007/s40333-016-0057-0     OR     http://jal.xjegi.com/Y2016/V8/I6/871

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