Distribution, Ecological Risk and Source Analysis of Heavy Metals in Farmland Soil around Chating Copper Ore in Xuancheng Region of Southern China.

To study the effects of metal mineralization and mine operation on surrounding ecological environment and human health, 69 farmland soil samples of study area were collected, tested with seven heavy metals and analyzed with environmental risk assessment, spatial distribution, and source identification. The Igeo values of Cu and Pb indicated light-moderate pollution level and Co belonged to moderate pollution level. The EF values of Co represented moderately severe enrichment level, and Cu and Pb belonged to moderate enrichment level. The Er i values were in decreasing order of Co>Cu>Pb>Cr>Zn>Mn>Fe, moreover both Er i and RI values of seven heavy metals were at low ecological risk level. The spatial distribution of Fe, Zn, Cr and Mn showed a trend "high in northwest and low in southeast", and Co and Cu were similar with the characteristics "the closer to Chating copper ore, the higher the value", and points with higher content for Pb were distributed along the roads beside Gucheng Lake and irrigation canal. Pearson correlation analysis (CA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HACA), and principal component analysis (PCA) were adopted to gradually identified the characteristics, interactions, classifications and possible sources. PC1 was explained by Fe, Cr, Mn and Zn and might be the natural source influenced by the crust and soil parent material; PC2 was dominated by Pb and Zn and might be derived from transportation and mechanical operations; PC3 was loaded by Cu and might be greatly affected by copper mining activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]