IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i14p8597-d862326.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Heavy Metal Content and Pollution Assessment in Typical Check Dam Sediment in a Watershed of Loess Plateau, China

Author

Listed:
  • Yongxia Meng

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Peng Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Lie Xiao

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Rui Wang

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Shutong Yang

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Jiangxue Han

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Bingze Hu

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

Abstract

To understand historical trends and assess the ecological risk associated with heavy metal pollution, the concentration of eight species of heavy metals (vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and arsenic (As)) in typical silt dam sediments on the Loess Plateau were analyzed. The radionuclide 137 Cs was used to quantify rates of erosion, deposition, and heavy metal contamination in the soils of a watershed that supplies a check dam. The sediment record revealed three time periods distinguished by trends in erosion and pollutant accumulation (1960–1967, 1968–1981, and 1985–1991). Heavy metal concentrations were highest but exhibited significant fluctuation in the first two periods (1960–1967 and 1968–1981). From 1985 to 1991, heavy metal pollution showed a downward trend and tended to be stable. The potential risks of heavy metals in silt dam sediments were explored by applying the geo-accumulation index and the potential ecological risk index. The results indicated medium risk associated with Cu and As accumulation, especially in 1963, 1971, and 1986 when the assessed values increased significantly from previous levels. Agricultural practices and high rates of slope erosion may be responsible for the enrichment of As and Cu in soil and the accompanying increase in risk. Land use optimization and the careful use of fertilizers could be used to control or intercept heavy metal pollutants in dammed lands. The results provide the basis for evaluating the current status and ecological risk of heavy metal contamination in dam sediments and for predicting possible heavy metal pollution in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongxia Meng & Peng Li & Lie Xiao & Rui Wang & Shutong Yang & Jiangxue Han & Bingze Hu, 2022. "Heavy Metal Content and Pollution Assessment in Typical Check Dam Sediment in a Watershed of Loess Plateau, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:14:p:8597-:d:862326
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/14/8597/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/14/8597/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bhanu Pratap Singh & Moharana Choudhury & Palas Samanta & Monu Gaur & Maniram Kumar, 2021. "Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Adjoining Sediment of River Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Giorgio Provolo & Giulia Manuli & Alberto Finzi & Giorgio Lucchini & Elisabetta Riva & Gian Attilio Sacchi, 2018. "Effect of Pig and Cattle Slurry Application on Heavy Metal Composition of Maize Grown on Different Soils," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, July.
    3. Xiaolu Yan & Miao Liu & Jingqiu Zhong & Jinting Guo & Wen Wu, 2018. "How Human Activities Affect Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil and Sediment in a Long-Term Reclaimed Area of the Liaohe River Delta, North China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jianqiang Wu & Chenyan Sha & Min Wang & Chunmei Ye & Peng Li & Shenfa Huang, 2021. "Effect of Organic Fertilizer on Soil Bacteria in Maize Fields," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Yanhui Chen & Guosheng Li & Linlin Cui & Lijuan Li & Lei He & Peipei Ma, 2022. "The Effects of Tidal Flat Reclamation on the Stability of the Coastal Area in the Jiangsu Province, China, from the Perspective of Landscape Structure," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Farid Ul Haque & Faridullah Faridullah & Muhammad Irshad & Aziz-Ur-Rahim Bacha & Zahid Ullah & Muhammad Fawad & Farhan Hafeez & Akhtar Iqbal & Rashid Nazir & Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei & Mikhlid H. Alm, 2023. "Distribution and Speciation of Trace Elements in Soils of Four Land-Use Systems," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-13, October.
    4. Kristina Baziene & Ina Tetsman & Ramune Albrektiene, 2020. "Level of Pollution on Surrounding Environment from Landfill Aftercare," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-14, March.
    5. Fuyao Chen & Yongjun Yang & Jiaxin Mi & Run Liu & Huping Hou & Shaoliang Zhang, 2019. "Effects of Vegetation Pattern and Spontaneous Succession on Remediation of Potential Toxic Metal-Polluted Soil in Mine Dumps," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-13, January.
    6. Alberto Finzi & Gabriele Mattachini & Daniela Lovarelli & Elisabetta Riva & Giorgio Provolo, 2020. "Technical, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of a Collective Integrated Treatment System for Energy Recovery and Nutrient Removal from Livestock Manure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, April.
    7. Chen, Fu & Ma, Jing & Akhtar, Shahzad & Khan, Zafar Iqbal & Ahmad, Kafeel & Ashfaq, Asma & Nawaz, Hummera & Nadeem, Muhammad, 2022. "Assessment of chromium toxicity and potential health implications of agriculturally diversely irrigated food crops in the semi-arid regions of South Asia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    8. Leidy Rendón-Castrillón & Margarita Ramírez-Carmona & Carlos Ocampo-López & Luis Gómez-Arroyave, 2023. "Bioleaching Techniques for Sustainable Recovery of Metals from Solid Matrices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-32, June.
    9. Köninger, Julia & Lugato, Emanuele & Panagos, Panos & Kochupillai, Mrinalini & Orgiazzi, Alberto & Briones, Maria J.I., 2021. "Manure management and soil biodiversity: Towards more sustainable food systems in the EU," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    10. Mateusz Sydow & Łukasz Chrzanowski & Alexandra Leclerc & Alexis Laurent & Mikołaj Owsianiak, 2018. "Terrestrial Ecotoxic Impacts Stemming from Emissions of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn from Manure: A Spatially Differentiated Assessment in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    11. Hongmei Dong & Jingbo Zhao & Mengping Xie, 2021. "Heavy Metal Concentrations in Orchard Soils with Different Cultivation Durations and Their Potential Ecological Risks in Shaanxi Province, Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-11, April.
    12. Yang Yu & Yue Ling & Yunzhao Li & Zhenbo Lv & Zhaohong Du & Bo Guan & Zhikang Wang & Xuehong Wang & Jisong Yang & Junbao Yu, 2022. "Distribution and Influencing Factors of Metals in Surface Soil from the Yellow River Delta, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, April.
    13. Akhtar, Shahzad & Khan, Zafar Iqbal & Ahmad, Kafeel & Nadeem, Muhammad & Ejaz, Abid & Hussain, Muhammad Iftikhar & Ashraf, Muhammad Arslan, 2022. "Assessment of lead toxicity in diverse irrigation regimes and potential health implications of agriculturally grown crops in Pakistan," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:14:p:8597-:d:862326. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.