Spatiotemporal Variation and Pollution Assessment of Pb/Zn from Smelting Activities in China

Zhenfeng Zang, Yonghua Li, Hairong Li, Zhaohui Guo and Ru Zhang
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Zhenfeng Zang: Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Yonghua Li: Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Hairong Li: Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Zhaohui Guo: Institute of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Ru Zhang: Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: Nonferrous smelting is an important source of heavy metals in soil, which causes different degrees of soil pollution, especially in lead–zinc (Pb/Zn) smelting areas. Based on the Pb/Zn environmental release during the Pb/Zn mineral smelting processes in 31 Chinese provinces from the period 2000 to 2015, the study analyzed the spatiotemporal variations in Pb/Zn environmental release at the national level and then evaluated the degree of soil pollution and potential ecological risk based on the heavy metal content in soil from Pb/Zn smelting areas. The results showed that from the period 2000 to 2015, the Pb release had a discrete trend, transferring from the middle east to the west, and the provinces with higher Pb releases were Henan Province, Yunnan Province, and Hunan Province. However, the Zn release showed a tendency towards spatial aggregation, and the release center of this heavy metal presented a shifting trend from south to north; additionally, the release of Zn was highest in Hunan Province. The pollution index analyses indicated that Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn in Zhuzhou and Huludao all reached extremely polluted levels, while Tongguan was at a safe level. In Gejiu, Mianxian, Fengxian, Zhuzhou, Huludao, and Shaoguan, there were very high potential ecological risks, with Cd having the highest potential ecological risk in most smelting areas, followed by Pb.

Keywords: spatiotemporal variation; Pb/Zn smelting; environmental release; soil; heavy metal pollution; potential ecological risk assessment (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 (1)

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