Source Apportionment and Analysis of Potentially Toxic Element Sources in Agricultural Soils Based on the Positive Matrix Factorization and Geo-Detector Models

Xu Liu, Zhongfang Yang (), Bo Li, Zhiliang Wu, Lei Wang, Tao Yu, Cheng Li, Zexin He, Minghui Xie, Chenning Deng and Huading Shi ()
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Xu Liu: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Zhongfang Yang: School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Bo Li: School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Zhiliang Wu: School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Lei Wang: Guangxi Institute of Geological Survey, Nanning 530023, China
Tao Yu: School of Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Cheng Li: Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin 541004, China
Zexin He: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China
Minghui Xie: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Chenning Deng: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Huading Shi: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: The potentially toxic element pollution of agricultural soils has become a significant environmental threat to food safety and human health. Accurately identifying sources of potentially toxic element pollution is key to developing effective pollution prevention and control measures. In this study, regional potentially toxic element pollution of the soils in the Nanliujiang River Basin was analyzed using the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model and the geo-detector model. First, topsoil samples from the study area were collected to analyze eight potentially toxic elements in the soil, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The PMF model was used to conduct source apportionment of the potentially toxic element data and identify the primary pollution sources and their contribution rates. Then, the geo-detector model was used to analyze the key factors affecting the spatial distribution of the potentially toxic elements and the influence of natural and human factors on the distribution of the potentially toxic elements. There are four potentially toxic element pollution sources of the agricultural soil in the study area: geological background, agricultural activities, industrial discharge, and river irrigation. The geological background contributed the most. The main factors affecting the spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements included agricultural activities, industrial discharge, and river irrigation. This integrated method can analyze the formation of potentially toxic element pollution in depth from the perspectives of source apportionment and spatial differentiation and provide a scientific basis and decision support for preventing and controlling potentially toxic element pollution in agricultural soils. This study provides a new method and scientific basis for identifying and preventing potentially toxic element pollution sources in agricultural soil and can guide the formulation of targeted soil pollution control measures.

Keywords: agricultural soils; potentially toxic element pollution; PMF model; geo-detector model; source apportionment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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