title: Multivariate-statistical assessment of heavy metals for agricultural soils in northern China.
abstract: The study evaluated eight heavy metals content and soil pollution from agricultural soils in northern China. Multivariate and geostatistical analysis approaches were used to determine the anthropogenic and natural contribution of soil heavy metal concentrations. Single pollution index and integrated pollution index could be used to evaluate soil heavy metal risk. The results show that the first factor explains 27.3% of the eight soil heavy metals with strong positive loadings on Cu, Zn, and Cd, which indicates that Cu, Zn, and Cd are associated with and controlled by anthropic activities. The average value of heavy metal is lower than the second grade standard values of soil environmental quality standards in China. Single pollution index is lower than 1, and the Nemerow integrated pollution index is 0.305, which means that study area has not been polluted. The semivariograms of soil heavy metal single pollution index fitted spherical and exponential models. The variable ratio of single pollution index showed moderately spatial dependence. Heavy metal contents showed relative safety in the study area.
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Normal University, Linfen 041000, China.
authors.forename: Pingguo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China.
authors.forename: Renzhao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology & Bioresources Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai 264003, China ; Institute for Life Sciences, Qingdao University of Science & Technology (QUST), Qingdao 266042, China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002681:China; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012989:Soil Pollutants