Bio-availability of potential trace elements in urban dust, soil, and plants in arid northwest China

Abstract

Potential trace elements pollution in cities poses a threat to the environment and human health. Bio-availability affects toxicity levels of potential trace elementss on organisms. This study focused on exploring the relationship between soil, plant, and atmospheric dust pollution in Urumqi, a typical city in western China. It aims to help reduce pollution and protect residents’ health. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) potential trace elementss like Cr, Pb, As, and Ni are more prevalent in atmospheric dust and soil than in plants. Chromium was in the first group, Cadmium and Mercury were in the second, and Plumb, Arsenic, and Nickel were in the third. Atmospheric dust and soil exhibit a significantly higher heavy metal content than plants. For example, The atmospheric dust summary Chromium content was up to 88 mg/kg. 2) Soil, atmospheric dust, and plants have the highest amount of residual form. Residual form had the highest percentage average of 53.3%, whereas Organic matter bound form had the lowest percentage of just 7.7%. The plants contained less residual heavy metal than the soil and atmospheric dust. 3) The correlation coefficient between the carbonated form content of Cd of soil and atmospheric dust is 0.95, which is closely related. Other potential trace elements show similar correlations in their bio-available contents in soil, plants, and atmospheric dust.This study suggests that in urban area, the focus should be on converting potential trace elements into residual form instead of increasing plants’ absorption of potential trace elements.

Graphical Abstract

NOVELTY STATEMENT

• The current research in China primarily examines heavy metal pollution in the atmosphere, soil, and plants individually. Although there is significant international research on heavy metal bio-availability in the environment, few studies have focused on the presence of heavy metals in soil, vegetation, and atmospheric dust.

• Therefore, this study focused on Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, a typical oasis city in the arid region. To understand the bio-availability and morphological characteristics of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, As, Ni) in the soil-plant-atmosphere of its urban expressway.

• This study aims to establish a theoretical basis for understanding the pollution hazards caused by heavy metals in oasis cities. It will have practical significance in maintaining urban ecology, promoting sustainable development, and safeguarding citizens’ health.

Keywords:

• Heavy metal bio-availability
• heavy metal morphological characteristics
• soil-plants- atmospheric dust
• urban expressway
• Urumqi

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Regional Collaborative Innovation Program - Shanghai Cooperation Organization Science and Technology Partnership and International Cooperation Project of the Science and Technology Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Grant No.: 2023E01026) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos: 31971713, 31770750, 31600572).