Bioavailability, Sources, and Transfer Behavior of Heavy Metals in Soil−Crop Systems from a High Geological Background Area Impacted by Artisanal Zn Smelting in Guizhou Province, Southwest China

Honghong Ma; Chen Zhao; Li Zhang; Zhizhuo Liu; Fugui Zhang; Huiyan Wang; Fei Guo; Shiqi Tang; Zheng Yang; Min Peng

LAPSE

Living Archive for Process Systems Engineering

LAPSE:2023.36857

Published Article

LAPSE:2023.36857

Bioavailability, Sources, and Transfer Behavior of Heavy Metals in Soil−Crop Systems from a High Geological Background Area Impacted by Artisanal Zn Smelting in Guizhou Province, Southwest China

Honghong Ma, Chen Zhao, Li Zhang, Zhizhuo Liu, Fugui Zhang, Huiyan Wang, Fei Guo, Shiqi Tang, Zheng Yang, Min Peng

November 30, 2023

The environmental risk posed by heavy metals in agricultural soil is primarily influenced by their sources, bioavailability, and geochemical transfer behavior. This study focused on Weining County, a region in Guizhou province, Southwest China, with a high geological background and long-term impact from artisanal Zn smelting. Vertical soil profiles, crop, and rhizospheric soil samples were collected and analyzed for heavy metal concentration (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) including the total concentration and chemical fraction. The results revealed elevated concentrations of Cd (range: 0.7−6.9 mg·kg−1), Co (range: 19.3−120.0 mg·kg−1), Cu (range: 71.6−386.0 mg·kg−1), Ni (range: 51.0−121.0 mg·kg−1), and V (range: 310.0−721.0 mg·kg−1) in all soil samples compared to the background values of Guizhou Province. Chemical fractionation analysis indicated that Cr, Ni, As, Cu, and Zn were predominantly present in the residual fraction, while Hg and Pb were predominantly found in the potentially bioavailable fraction. Cd exhibited the highest bioavailability, accounting for 58.5% of its total concentration. Enrichment factor analysis suggested that artisanal Zn smelting activities were the main sources of Cd, Pb, and Zn contamination. Furthermore, Cd, Pb, and Zn were found to be highly accumulated in the surface soil layer (0−20 cm). Notably, 90.0% of potato and 9.4% of maize grain samples exceeded the food hygiene standards for Cd concentration, posing potential health risks to consumers. The bioconcentration factor (soil-to-root) and translocation factor (root-to-grain) analyses indicated that maize roots had a higher tendency to accumulate Cd from the soil, while Zn and Cu showed a significant transferability from roots to maize grains. These findings offer valuable insights for devising heavy metal remediation strategies in similar areas.

Record ID

LAPSE:2023.36857

Keywords

bioavailability, farmland soil, heavy metals, soil contamination, soil–plant transfer factor

Subject

Environment

Suggested Citation

Ma H, Zhao C, Zhang L, Liu Z, Zhang F, Wang H, Guo F, Tang S, Yang Z, Peng M. Bioavailability, Sources, and Transfer Behavior of Heavy Metals in Soil−Crop Systems from a High Geological Background Area Impacted by Artisanal Zn Smelting in Guizhou Province, Southwest China. (2023). LAPSE:2023.36857

Author Affiliations

Ma H: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Ca
Zhao C: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0
Zhang L: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0 [ORCID]
Liu Z: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0
Zhang F: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0
Wang H: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0
Guo F: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0
Tang S: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0
Yang Z: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0
Peng M: Institute of Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China; Key Laboratory of Geochemical Cycling of Carbon and Mercury in the Earth’s Critical Zone, Chinese Academy Geological Sciences, Langfang 0

Journal Name

Processes

Volume

11

Issue

9

First Page

2538

Year

2023

Publication Date

2023-08-24