title: Status of metal accumulation in farmland soils across China: from distribution to risk assessment.
abstract: Increasing metal pollution has drawn broad public attention in China due to severe environmental quality deterioration. However, so far, there has been no study to survey metal accumulation in Chinese farmland soil at the national scale. In this study, we determined 11 metals in farmland soils across the Mainland China. Our results indicated the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu (10.1-184.2, 0.082-1.31, 20.2-321.9, 8.2-515.9 mg/kg, respectively) were elevated above their reference values. Moreover, these metals followed a similar geochemical distribution pattern. The accumulation of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in soils may be associated with human activities for soil fertility. Cadmium had the highest pollution index (PI) of 5.28, and the average hazard quotients (HQs) for all the metals were below 1. Hence, except for Cd, the metals in Chinese arable soils are comparatively safe. Results from this study may provide valuable information for agricultural soil management in China.
authors: International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors: Lili
authors: L
authors: Niu
authors: Fangxing
authors: F
authors: Yang
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: Huayun
authors: H
authors: Yang
authors: Weiping
authors: W
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants