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Geoscience ›› 2024, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (03): 694-705.DOI: 10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2024.064

• Observation Simulation and Prediction Evaluation of Superbiotic Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in Soils Along a National Highway Using Spatial Interpolation and PMF Model: A Case Study of the Yueyang Section of National Highway 107

YANG Pengzhi1,2(), ZHAO Yuan1,2(), XIAO Yuexin1,2,3, MIN Yingzi1,2, DENG Zhao1,2, GUO Jun2, WEI Xiaokun1,2   

  1. 1. Huangshan Observation and Research Station for Land-Water Resources, Huangshan, Anhui 245000, China
    2. Changsha Comprehensive Survey Center of Natural Resources China Geological Survey, Changsha, Hunan 410600, China
    3. Key Laboratory of Natural Resource Coupling Process and Effects, Beijing 100055, China
  • Online:2024-06-10 Published:2024-07-04

Abstract:

To assess the impacts of national highway traffic on adjacent soil properties, this study examines the characteristics and sources of heavy metal contamination along a section of National Highway 107 in Yueyang County. A total of 246 surface soil samples were collected from a 1-km range on both sides of the highway, and the concentrations of eight heavy metals (i.e.Pb, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Hg) were measured. By comparing the differences in heavy metal contamination and elemental contents between the soils on each side of the highway, and by integrating Kriging spatial interpolation with the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) mo-del, we revealed the potential sources of these heavy metals. The study results show that: (1) The soils along the Yueyang County section of National Highway 107 are strongly acidic, and the differences in heavy metal concentrations reflect the significant impacts of land use types and human activities. (2) Single-factor pollution indices indicate no pollution from Cr, Ni, Zn, and Cd, but slight pollution from Cu, As, Hg, and Pb. The Nemerow comprehensive pollution index indicates that the soil in the study area is overall slightly polluted. (3) Spatial interpolation analysis reveals high overlaps in spatial distribution of As, Cr, Cu, and Ni, while Pb and Zn are distributed across agricultural fields. Cd exhibits an anomalous spatial distribution mainly around the town of Xinkai. The spatial distribution characteristics of Hg show low values in forested areas, indicating a complex interplay between natural geological backgrounds and land use types. (4) PMF source analysis ide.pngied four pollution sources, i.e.traffic, agriculture, natural sources, and atmospheric sources. Traffic and agriculture sources account for 80.3% of the influence on heavy metal content in the soil, indicating a significant impact of transportation and human activities along National Highway 107. In conclusion, the results from spatial interpolation and the PMF model closely corroborate each other, making this integrated method ideal for ide.pngying source components.

Key words: National Highway 107, soil heavy metal, spatial distribution, Kriging algorithm, PMF model

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