Pollution Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in Soils around the Yanzhuang Gold Mine Tailings Pond, Pinggu County, Beijing, China

Abstract

The accumulation of tailings from gold mining and smelting may result in PTE pollution. We investigated PTE contamination from a large amalgamated gold mine tailings pond in Pinggu County, Beijing. In November 2017, 30 soil samples were collected around the tailings pond. The concentrations and pollution degree of PTEs in the samples and the sources of Sb, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Hg were analyzed. The average concentration of these elements in soil samples near the tailings pond (16.24, 28.29, 0.99, 171.04, 263.25, 99.73, 0.72 mg/kg, respectively) were higher than their corresponding standard values and background values of the study area. The geoaccumulation index showed that the pollution degree of As, Pb and Hg was moderate, while Sb and Cu present non-pollution to moderate pollution. The average EF values of the elements were Sb (38.31), As (4.23), Cd (0.71), Cu (3.68), Pb (21.24), Zn (0.82) and Hg (5.29), respectively. The environmental risk assessment developed throughout the PERI method indicated that Sb, As, Hg and Pb were the main pollutants in the study area. The three quantitative risk indicators (RI, Igeo and EF) were positively correlated, and all of them indicated that PTEs had significant pollution to the local area. Thus, Sb, As, Pb, Cu, and Hg pollution should be highly concerning. Multivariate statistical analysis shows that the pollution of PTEs was mainly caused by the accumulation of tailings ponds after gold mining and smelting. The research result is of great significance for the prevention and control of soil pollution of PTEs near the tailings pond.

Assessment of the Heavy Metal Contamination of Roadside Soils Alongside Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana, (Punjab) India

“…The parameters, such as pH, electrical conductivity, availability of various cations and anions, play a key role in metal availability to the plants from the soil. The physico-chemical characteristics of soil differ from place to place and from time to time, depending on the parent material, due to integrated effects of natural factors, for example, climate conditions and anthropogenic activities, such as emission from industrial, domestic and vehicular sources [25]. It is well established that soil physico-chemical characterization plays a key role in exploring the composition of soil and evaluating soil pollution [26,27].…”

Potential Risk, Spatial Distribution, and Soil Identification of Potentially Toxic Elements in Lycium barbarum L. (Wolfberry) Fruits and Soil System in Ningxia, China

“…The soil samples were air-dried, passed through a 10-mesh (2 mm) nylon sieve, and stirred. The finely ground samples were further ground and passed through a 100-mesh (0.149 mm) nylon sieve [ 43 , 44 ]. The methods for determining PTE and physicochemical properties (pH, organic matter (OM) concentrations, and cation exchange capacities (CEC)) of the soil were in accordance with Chinese standards ( Supplementary Materials Table S1 ).…”

“…The EF can be used to determine whether PTEs in the soil are derived from natural or anthropogenic factors. The EF is given by Equation (5): where is the PTE concentration of the soil, is the concentration in the reference element ( RE ), is the background value for the PTE concentration in the soil, and is the background value for the RE concentration [ 44 , 49 ]. Sc, Ti, Zr, V, and Fe are usually used as reference elements [ 50 ], and in the present study, Fe (14,509 mg/kg in samples, 26,500 mg/kg of background [ 51 ]) was collected as the reference element.…”

Assessment of the Levels of Potentially Toxic Elements Contained in Natural Bentonites Collected from Quarries in Turkey

“…and natural (lithogenic) sources such as volcanic eruptions and weathering of element-containing rocks. , Mining activities involving many processing methods such as grinding the rock and ores, recovering the desired fraction, and dumping the waste into a tailing or holding pond are among the main sources of PTEs in the environment. − PTE elements released into the surrounding environment during mining not only affect soil quality but also threaten food safety of crops grown in polluted soil and human health. In addition, exposure to PTEs can pose a health problem for miners. ,− …”