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To explore geochemical factors affecting the chronological reconstruction of a historical arsenic pollution accident in Lake Qionghai at southwest of China, heavy metals and radionuclides (210Pbexand137Cs) in two sediment cores were sampled and analyzed. Our study revealed that (1) industrialization and urbanization of Xichang since the mid-20thCentury, aggravated soil erosion in the catchment and resulted in a significant and lasting increase in the sedimentation rate of Lake Qionghai; (2) sharp arsenic peaks in two sediment cores recorded an arsenic pollution accident in 2006 in which a large amount of arsenic was discharged into the lake from a chemical plant. Arsenic peaks in sediment cores A and B were dated to 1988 ± 3.5, 2006 ± 3.1, respectively. Only the arsenic peak time in core B: 2006 ± 3.1, agreed with the real pollution accident time of 2006. Linear correlation analysis suggested that arsenic sorption by Fe/Mn minerals and organic materials in sediment core A probably changed the depth distribution of the peak and affected the accuracy of chronological reconstruction. This case study suggested that sorption of heavy metals by Fe/Mn minerals and organic materials should be assessed before the chronological reconstruction of the metal pollution accident in the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium is a trace element widely distributed in the Earth’s crust. Naturally high levels of vanadium are recognized mainly in basic rocks and minerals, particularly in titaniferous magnetite. And the anthropogenic sources of vanadium include fossil fuel combustion and wastes including steel-industry slags. In the last few years, the authors have made investigations and assessments on the environmental geochemistry and ecological risk of vanadium in the Panzhihua mining and smelting area. In the study area, anthropogenic vanadium resulted from mining, extracting and smelting of V-Ti magnetite; vanadium pollution of topsoil and sediments occurs mainly in the mining and extracting area, smelting area, slag dumping area, tailing dam and coal mining area. In the soil, the chemical speciation of vanadium shows: insoluble residue > organically bound > Fe (amorphous) oxide-bound > Mn oxide-bound > soluble component. Vanadium pollution can cause potential harmful effects on ecological systems, and lead to animal poisoning and human disease. So vanadiam pollution should be monitored on a regular basis in the Panzhihua area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An eco-environmental geochemical investigation was carried out in and around the Dexing mining area to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in the surface water, sediments, soils and plants. The main objective of this study is to assess the environmental situation and evaluate the transferring of heavy metals from mining activities into the food chain. Some samples of water, sediment, topsoil and plant were collected along the Lean River in the Dexing mining area. The total concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and As were determined by AAS, and Hg was analyzed by cold-vapor AAS. Some indices such as 'contamination degree', 'geo-accumulation index', and 'biological absorption coefficient' were used to assess eco-environmental quality. The investigation indicated a highly localized distribution pattern closely associated with the two pollution sources along the Le'an River bank: one is strong acidity and a large amount of Cu in the drainage from the Dexing Cu mining area; and the other is the high concentrations of Pb and Zn in the effluents released from many smelters and mining, processing and extracting activities in the riparian zone. Results from the investigated localities indicated, at least in part, that some problems associated with environmental quality deterioration should be solved in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is becoming increasingly serious along with social and economic development in the southwest of China. The distribution characteristics of particle matter (PM) were studied in Chengdu from 2016 to 2017, and the changes of PM bearing water-soluble ions and heavy metals and the distribution of secondary ions were analyzed during the haze episode. The results showed that at different pollution levels, heavy metals were more likely to be enriched in fine particles and may be used as a tracer of primary pollution sources. The water-soluble ions in PM2.5 were mainly Sulfate-Nitrate-Ammonium (SNA) accounting for 43.02%, 24.23%, 23.50%, respectively. SO42−, NO3−, NH4+ in PM10 accounted for 34.56%, 27.43%, 19.18%, respectively. It was mainly SO42− in PM at Clean levels (PM2.5 = 0~75 μg/m3, PM10 = 0~150 μg/m3), and mainly NH4+ and NO3− at Light-Medium levels (PM2.5 = 75~150 μg/m3, PM10 = 150~350 μg/m3). At Heavy levels (PM2.5 = 150~250 μg/m3, PM10 = 350~420 μg/m3), it is mainly SO42− in PM2.5, and mainly NH4+ and NO3− in PM10. The contribution of mobile sources to the formation of haze in the study area was significant. SNA had significant contributions to the PM during the haze episode, and more attention should be paid to them in order to improve air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]