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Spatial Distribution of Soil Heavy Metals and Associated Environmental Risks near Major Roads in Southern Tibet, China

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Listed:
  • Wanjiang She

    (Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650000, China)

  • Linghui Guo

    (School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China)

  • Jiangbo Gao

    (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China)

  • Chi Zhang

    (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China)

  • Shaohong Wu

    (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China)

  • Yuanmei Jiao

    (Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650000, China)

  • Gaoru Zhu

    (Laboratory of Transport Pollution Control and Monitoring Technology, Transport Planning and Research Institute, Ministry of Transport, Beijing 100028, China)

Abstract

Soil heavy metal pollution is becoming an increasingly serious environmental problem. This study was performed to investigate the contents of surface soil heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) near six roads in the southern part of the Tibetan Plateau. Multivariate statistics, geoaccumulation index, potential ecological risk, and a human health assessment model were used to study the spatial pollution pattern and identify the main pollutants and regions of concern. The mean I g e o was ranked in the order Cd > Cu > Zn > Pb, with the average concentrations of Cd, Zn, and Cu exceeding their corresponding background levels 4.36-, 1.00-, and 1.8-fold, respectively. Soil Cd level was classified as posing a considerable potential risk near national highways and a high potential risk near non-national highways, whereas soil Cu, Zn, and Pb were associated with a low potential ecological risk for each class of roads. Furthermore, the non-carcinogenic risk due to soil heavy metals for each class of roads was within the acceptable risk level for three exposure pathways for both adults and children, but the carcinogenic risk attributable to soil Pb exceeded the threshold for children near highways G318, G562, and G219 and for adults near highway G318. Our work not only underscores the importance of assessing potential threats to ecological and human health due to soil heavy metal pollution on road surfaces but also provides quantitative guidance for remediation actions.

Suggested Citation

  • Wanjiang She & Linghui Guo & Jiangbo Gao & Chi Zhang & Shaohong Wu & Yuanmei Jiao & Gaoru Zhu, 2022. "Spatial Distribution of Soil Heavy Metals and Associated Environmental Risks near Major Roads in Southern Tibet, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8380-:d:858836
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Meie Wang & Haizhen Zhang, 2018. "Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Roadside Soil in Urban Area and the Related Impacting Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-11, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tingyu Fan & Jinhong Pan & Xingming Wang & Shun Wang & Akang Lu, 2022. "Ecological Risk Assessment and Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in the Soil of an Opencast Mine in Xinjiang," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Mustafa Demir & Erdihan Tunç & Sören Thiele-Bruhn & Ömer Çelik & Awet Tekeste Tsegai & Nevzat Aslan & Sevgi Arslan, 2023. "Status, Sources and Assessment of Potentially Toxic Element (PTE) Contamination in Roadside Orchard Soils of Gaziantep (Türkiye)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Wenxia Gan & Yuxuan Zhang & Jinying Xu & Ruqin Yang & Anna Xiao & Xiaodi Hu, 2023. "Spatial Distribution of Soil Heavy Metal Concentrations in Road-Neighboring Areas Using UAV-Based Hyperspectral Remote Sensing and GIS Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-19, June.

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