The evaluation of heavy metal pollution and its potential ecological risk of urban topsoil in Huangshan City

Abstract: In the urban and suburb areas of Huangshn City (Tunxi District, Huizhou District and the Economic and Technological Development Zone), heavy metal pollution of the topsoil and its potential ecological risk were separately analyzed and evaluated by using the index of geoaccumulation and the potential ecological risk index. With SPSS software, factor analysis of heavy metal content data in topsoil was conducted. It is indicated that heavy metal pollution of the topsoils in the study area is characterized by 0-2 degree, and the relative degree of pollution is in the order of Hg＞Cd＞Cu＞As＞Zn＞Cr＞Pb＞Ni. Likewise, the potential ecological risk is characterized by the order of Hg＞Cd＞As＞Cu＞Pb＞Ni＞Cr＞Zn. The average value of the synthetic potential ecological risk index is 211.80, indicating that the topsoil is in a middle potential ecological risk, with the predominant and the second risk factor being separately Hg and Cd. Comparatively speaking, heavy metal pollution of these eight elements in soils topsoil and its potential ecological risk within the areas primarily result from common life and production in urban and rural areas, such as fertilization, and irrigation with sewage, factory pollution, local flowage of life garbage and coal combustion.