Ecological risk of heavy metal hotspots in topsoils in the Province of Golestan, Iran

Mirzaei, Rouhollah; Ghorbani, Hadi; Moghaddas, Nasser Hafezi; Martín, José Antonio Rodríguez

doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.06.011

Cited by 58 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Over time, mining and related industrial activities contribute to ecosystem degradation, giving rise to large areas of derelict land (Acosta et al 2011;Facchinelli et al 2001;Fryer et al 2006;Liu et al 2005;Mirzaei et al 2014). In the vicinity of a MA, activities such as mineral excavation, ore transportation, smelting, and refining discharge large amounts of spoils, effluents, wastewater, and dust containing heavy metals (HMs) into the soil (Liu et al 2013;Navarro et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating Heavy Metal Pollution in Mining Brownfield and Its Policy Implications: A Case Study of the Bayan Obo Rare Earth Mine, Inner Mongolia, China

Pan

2016

Environmental Management

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The rapid urbanization of China and associated demand for land resources necessitates remediation, redevelopment, and reclamation of contaminated soil. Before these measures are taken, a basic investigation and inventory of heavy metal (HM) pollution levels in contaminated soil is necessary for establishing and implementing the redevelopment plan. In the present study, to identify the policy implications of inventorying and mapping HM pollution of soil in brownfields throughout China, the Bayan Obo giant rare earth element (REE)-Nb-Fe ore deposit of Baotou in Inner Mongolia, China, which is the largest REE mineral deposit in the world, was taken as a case study. Soil samples from 24 sites in Bayan Obo mining area (MA) and 76 sites in mine tailing area (TA) were collected for determining contents of soil HMs (Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn). The results showed that the average concentrations of Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn in both MA and TA were all higher than their corresponding background values for Inner Mongolia but lower than the Class II criteria of the National Soil Quality Standards of China (GB 15618-1995). Enrichment factor (EF) analysis of the soil samples indicated that the soil in the brownfield sites was highly enriched with Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn compared to the corresponding background values. In MA, the EF for Cd was the highest among the studied elements, while in TA, the EF for Cr (3.45) was the highest, closely followed by the EF for Cd (3.34). The potential ecological risk index (RI) indicated a moderate potential ecological risk from the studied HMs in MA and a low potential ecological risk in TA, and the results of RI also suggested that the soil was most heavily polluted by Cd. According to the spatial distribution maps of HM, contamination hot-spots were primarily located near mining-related high-pollution plants. Based on the results, policy recommendations are proposed related to brownfield management in urban planning.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating Heavy Metal Pollution in Mining Brownfield and Its Policy Implications: A Case Study of the Bayan Obo Rare Earth Mine, Inner Mongolia, China

Pan

2016

Environmental Management

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“…Pollutants stored in soil can be transferred to other compartments of the environment like groundwater and consequently affect human health (Xie et al 2014). Heavy metals continue to draw much attention due to their toxicity and persistence in the environment (Mirzaei et al 2014a;Naimi and Ayoubi 2013;Nezhad et al 2015;Xie et al 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Geostatistics and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping are powerful means utilized by numerous research studies to assess pollutants' spatial distribution and behavior in urban areas (Dayani and Mohammadi 2010;Mirzaei et al 2014a, b;Nezhad et al 2015;Qishlaqi et al 2009;Solgi et al 2012). Kriging is one of the most frequently applied interpolation methods in environmental studies (Dayani and Mohammadi 2010;Hani and Karimineja 2010;Karimi Nezhad et al 2014;Mirzaei et al 2014a;Mokhtari et al 2015;Yeganeh et al 2013).…”

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Spatial Eco-Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Surface Soils of Industrial City of Aran-o-Bidgol, Iran

Ravankhah

Mirzaei

Masoum

2016

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol

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Heavy metals usually accumulate and migrate in soil environment due to human activities and this in return poses potential ecological and health risks. A total of 135 surface soil samples were collected from Aran-o-Bidgol City, Iran and were analyzed for their Cd, Pb, Ni and Cu concentrations to determine these elements' spatial distribution and potential ecological risks. To this end, interpolation mapping was conducted using Ordinary Kriging. The mean concentrations of Cd, Pb, Ni and Cu in the samples were 0.72, 11.41, 29.87 and 14.82 mg kg(-1), respectively, which were all higher than their background values. The spatial variation in the concentration of heavy metals could be attributable to point sources and vehicle emissions. Considering the severity of the potential ecological risks of metals, the descending order of contaminants' concentrations was Cd > Cu > Ni > Pb. The Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI) suggested that approximately 40 % and 59 % of the samples posed high and significantly high potential ecological risks, respectively. Moreover, ecological risk decreased progressively going from southwest to northeast over the under-study area. Considering the background values and RI, this area presented a relatively high level of contamination.

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“…The calculated potential ecological risk index at the Golestan Province, Iran, indicated that approximately 68% and 5% of the studied samples had medium and high pollution levels, respectively, whereas a moderate and high potential ecological risk covered about 90% of this province (26).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Pollution Index and Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals in the Surface Soils of Amir-Abad Area in Birjand City, Iran

2015

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Background:In the present era, the concentration of heavy metals in the environment is increasing. Due to the deleterious effects of these metals on human health as well as their dangerous consequences on ecosystem, special attention should be paid to remove them from the environment. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the ecological risk of heavy metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr) in surface soils of an Amir-Abad Area in Birjand City, Iran. Materials and Methods: Soil Samples were collected from a depth of 0-20 cm at 16 stations with different users. The samples were passed through a 2-mm sieve after air drying. To determine the concentration of heavy metals, the samples were extracted by acid chloride and nitric acid and total concentrations of toxic elements were read using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The pollution index and ecological risk assessments were calculated for each element. Results:The results showed that the ecological risk of surface soil for the users of the road-residential was high (1370.72) and notable (505.04), and the agricultural land use and livestock had the moderate ecological risk and dairy farm had low ecological risk. When the results of this study were compared to world standards, it was suggested that the areas with the road-residential areas were considered to be dangerous to health; this was directly related to developments of technology and pollution. Conclusions: It can be concluded that residential-road land uses show the considerable pollution index and ecological risk.

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Ecological risk of heavy metal hotspots in topsoils in the Province of Golestan, Iran

Cited by 58 publications

References 53 publications

Investigating Heavy Metal Pollution in Mining Brownfield and Its Policy Implications: A Case Study of the Bayan Obo Rare Earth Mine, Inner Mongolia, China

Investigating Heavy Metal Pollution in Mining Brownfield and Its Policy Implications: A Case Study of the Bayan Obo Rare Earth Mine, Inner Mongolia, China

Spatial Eco-Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Surface Soils of Industrial City of Aran-o-Bidgol, Iran

Pollution Index and Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals in the Surface Soils of Amir-Abad Area in Birjand City, Iran

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