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Fe, Rather Than Soil Organic Matter, as a Controlling Factor of Hg Distribution in Subsurface Forest Soil in an Iron Mining Area

Author

Listed:
  • Rui Qu

    (Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Guilin Han

    (Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Man Liu

    (Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Kunhua Yang

    (Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Xiaoqiang Li

    (Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

  • Jinke Liu

    (Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract

To identify whether the iron (Fe) mining area in the Jiulongjiang River basin (JRB) has an influence on the mercury in the forest soil, the spatial distribution patterns of mercury’s behavior on different controlling factors were analyzed, and a potential ecological risk assessment was done. A total of 107 soil samples were collected from two forest soil profiles, one profile near the Fe mining area and the other far from it. The soil near the mining area had a moderate potential ecological risk with high Fe content rich in the upper layer of soil (<70 cm), whereas soil collected far from the mining area had a low potential ecological risk. These results indicated that the rise of iron content in the soil near the mining area was beneficial to the enrichment of mercury, probably causing damage to the forest ecosystem. Both soil organic carbon (SOC) and Fe content have strong positive correlations with THg content, controlling the mercury behavior in the upper layer (<70 cm) and a lower layer (>70 cm) of soil, respectively. The high Fe content in the upper layer of soil will compete for the adsorption of mercury by SOC, leading to the poor correlation between SOC and THg.

Suggested Citation

  • Rui Qu & Guilin Han & Man Liu & Kunhua Yang & Xiaoqiang Li & Jinke Liu, 2020. "Fe, Rather Than Soil Organic Matter, as a Controlling Factor of Hg Distribution in Subsurface Forest Soil in an Iron Mining Area," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-13, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:1:p:359-:d:305365
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaoqiang Li & Guilin Han & Man Liu & Kunhua Yang & Jinke Liu, 2019. "Hydro-Geochemistry of the River Water in the Jiulongjiang River Basin, Southeast China: Implications of Anthropogenic Inputs and Chemical Weathering," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-16, February.
    2. Yanzhuo Liu & Shanshan Song & Chunjuan Bi & Junli Zhao & Di Xi & Ziqi Su, 2019. "Occurrence, Distribution and Risk Assessment of Mercury in Multimedia of Soil-Dust-Plants in Shanghai, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Rui Qu & Guilin Han & Man Liu & Xiaoqiang Li, 2019. "The Mercury Behavior and Contamination in Soil Profiles in Mun River Basin, Northeast Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-16, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jie Zeng & Guilin Han & Shitong Zhang & Qian Zhang, 2022. "Suspended Sediments Quality Assessment in a Coastal River: Identification of Potentially Toxic Elements," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, April.

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