Distribution of Potential Harmful Trace Elements and Potential Ecological Risk in the Jiulongchi Wetland of Fanjing Mountain, Southwest China

Weidan Shen, Kangning Xiong, Yang Gao, Mingying Quan, Haijun Peng, Ting Yang, Linfeng He and Kunshan Bao
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Weidan Shen: School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University/State Key Laboratory Incubation Base for Karst Mountain Ecology Environment of Guizhou Province, Guiyang 550001, China
Kangning Xiong: School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University/State Key Laboratory Incubation Base for Karst Mountain Ecology Environment of Guizhou Province, Guiyang 550001, China
Yang Gao: School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University/State Key Laboratory Incubation Base for Karst Mountain Ecology Environment of Guizhou Province, Guiyang 550001, China
Mingying Quan: School of Geographic Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Haijun Peng: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
Ting Yang: School of Geographic Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Linfeng He: School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China
Kunshan Bao: School of Geographic Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: In order to understand the distribution and ecological risk of potential harmful trace elements (PHTEs) in the high altitude areas of the Fanjing Mountain World Natural Heritage Property, 30 surface samples including soil and plants were collected in April, 2019 in the Jiulongchi wetland which lies in the saddle between the New Jinding Peak of Fanjing Mountain and Fenghuang Peak. The contents of 23 major and trace elements were determined, and the pollution characteristics and potential ecological risk of 11 PHTEs (Mn, V, Zn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Sb and Pb) were discussed. The element contents showed significant differences in plant and soil samples. Enrichment factor and single-factor pollution index demonstrated that Mn, Zn, Co, As and Cd in the soil were in a clean state. The potential ecological risk index and pollution load index indicated an overall good ecological condition of Jiulongchi wetland, with a weak pollution degree. Comparisons of relevant studies showed the anthropogenic activities have considerable impacts on the pollution status of PHTEs with significant spatial differences in Fanjing Mountain. Multivariate statistical analysis proved that Pb and Sb were main pollutants of the soil in the Jiulongchi wetland, and the mining and smelting of minerals such as mercury, manganese and lead-zinc ore in the adjacent areas could be the main pollution sources through atmospheric deposition. This study could provide targeted strategies for the environmental protection and management of the Property and give scientific evidence for the pollution prevention in southwest China.

Keywords: harmful trace elements; alpine wetland; ecological assessment; multivariate analysis; Southwest China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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