Characteristics of Mercury Pollution and Ecological Risk Assessment in Different Degraded Grasslands of the Songnen Plains, Northeastern China

Zhaojun Wang, Lei Wang, Gang Zhang, Xu Li, Xiangyun Li, Yangjie Zhang, Xuhang Zhou, Ming Chen, Tingting Xiao, Zhili Feng, Yue Weng, Zhanhui Tang and Deli Wang
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Zhaojun Wang: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Lei Wang: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Gang Zhang: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Xu Li: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Xiangyun Li: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Yangjie Zhang: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Xuhang Zhou: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Ming Chen: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Tingting Xiao: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Zhili Feng: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Yue Weng: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Zhanhui Tang: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
Deli Wang: School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-18

Abstract: Mercury (Hg) is a global and widely distributed heavy metal pollutant. Mercury can affect human health as well as the health of ecosystems and poses ecological risks. The subjects of this study are three types of grassland in the Beidianzi region, Songnen Plains, Northeastern China, characterized by different degrees of degradation. The mercury content levels in the atmosphere, soil, and forage grass on the different grasslands were determined. In addition, the relationships between the mercury pollution levels in the atmosphere and soil, and the mercury distribution correlations between the soil and plants, were examined in detail. The potential risk index (RI), single factor index (PI), and ground accumulation index (Igeo) were used to evaluate the ecological risks. The results showed that the mercury content in the soils of three types of grassland exceeded the China national standard (GB36600-2018), and the soil mercury content in the moderately degraded grassland was the highest. The single factor index method and land accumulation index method showed that the three types of grassland were slightly polluted, while the potential risk index showed that the three types of grassland were severely polluted, and the potential risk index of the moderately degraded grassland was the highest. The potential risk index decreased with the increase of soil depth. The variation trend of atmospheric mercury content was lower in the morning and evening and higher in the afternoon. The potential risk index of atmospheric mercury indicated that all types of grassland were at severe risk. There was a significant positive correlation between atmospheric mercury and soil mercury. The mercury content in herbage increased with the increase of degradation. The BP neural network prediction model constructed had good accuracy and had certain reference value.

Keywords: mercury; Songnen Plains; atmospheric; soil; degradation; risk assessments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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