Potentially Toxic Element Migration Characteristics and Bioavailability in Soils of the Black Shale Region, Western Zhejiang Province, China
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area Overview
2.2. Field Investigation and Sampling
2.2.1. Geochemical Survey and Soil Sampling
2.2.2. Typical Soil Profile Sampling
2.2.3. Water Sample Collection
2.2.4. Rice Sample Collection
2.3. Sample Analysis
2.3.1. Total Element and Physicochemical Analysis of Soils and Crops
- (1)
- Cd, Cu, Ni (Nickel), and Se: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS);
- (2)
- Pb, Zn: X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF);
- (3)
- As: Hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS);
- (4)
- Hg: Cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV-AFS);
- (5)
- pH: Glass electrode method;
- (6)
- Organic matter: High-frequency heating infrared absorption method.
2.3.2. Water Sample Analysis
2.3.3. Extraction Methods of Soil and Crop Components
- 1.
- Water-soluble form
- 2.
- Exchangeable form
- 3.
- Carbonate-bound form
- 4.
- Weakly crystalline Fe-Mn oxide-bound form
- 5.
- Crystalline Fe-oxide form
- 6.
- Organic-bound form
- 7.
- Residual form
- 8.
- Experimental Operation
2.4. Analytical Quality Control
2.4.1. Soil Sample Quality Control
2.4.2. Crop Sample Quality Control
2.5. Data Processing Methods
2.6. Technical Standards and Regulations
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Distribution and Accumulation Characteristics of PTEs in Typical Black Shale Soils
3.2. Mineral Composition and PTE Migration/Accumulation Characteristics in Typical Black Shale Weathering Profiles
3.3. Migration Characteristics of PTEs in Surface Runoff and Irrigation Water
3.3.1. Elemental Characteristics of Surface Water
3.3.2. PTE Characteristics in Agricultural Soils of Typical Black Shale Watersheds
- (1)
- The Changshan River water is weakly alkaline (pH 7.6–7.9) and is characterized by high levels of Na+, Ca2+, K+, Cl−, F−, and SO42−. The mountain streams have high levels of HCO3−, Fe, and Mg; the mine wastewater in the exposed black rock series area, with its strong acidity, high PTE (Cd, As) content, and high SO42− levels, directly leads to a decrease in the pH of the surrounding soils, an increase in the total amount of Cd/As, and an increase in the proportion of exchangeable Cd. The mountain streams in non-exposed areas have a clean water quality, corresponding to low PTE content and stable speciation in the soil.
- (2)
- The outcrop location of the black rock series controls the PTE pollution source. Surface runoff serves as the migration carrier, and its flow velocity and discharge determine the migration distance of PTEs in water and the scope of soil pollution. The speciation of PTEs in the solution (such as ionic state, particle-bound state) affects their occurrence forms in the soil (exchangeable state, residual state, etc.) [29].
- (3)
- The river sedimentation process causes PTEs (such as Cd, Pb) carried by suspended particles in water to accumulate in the soil, resulting in a significantly higher total amount of PTEs in the soil of the deposition area than in the non-deposition area, forming an enrichment zone [2].
3.4. Speciation Characteristics of PTEs in Farmland Soils of Exposed Black Shale Areas
4. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Element | Minimum | Maximum | Mean | SD | Zhejiang Background Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
As (mg kg−1) | 1.16 | 688.00 | 24.74 | 31.28 | 6.93 |
Cd (mg kg−1) | 0.02 | 86.90 | 0.84 | 2.30 | 0.25 |
Cr (mg kg−1) | 1.08 | 1380.92 | 78.20 | 34.00 | 79.43 |
Cu (mg kg−1) | 5.25 | 735.00 | 39.25 | 29.41 | 49.68 |
Hg (mg kg−1) | 0.01 | 9.96 | 0.14 | 0.19 | 0.8 |
Ni (mg kg−1) | 1.28 | 364.00 | 37.60 | 23.23 | 31.27 |
Pb (mg kg−1) | 11.25 | 10,273 | 45.77 | 170.96 | 58.06 |
Zn (mg kg−1) | 27.70 | 8089.00 | 129.01 | 192.42 | 124.86 |
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Chen, H.; Chen, B.; Huang, C.; Lu, X.; Zou, R.; Wei, Y. Potentially Toxic Element Migration Characteristics and Bioavailability in Soils of the Black Shale Region, Western Zhejiang Province, China. Toxics 2025, 13, 679. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13080679
Chen H, Chen B, Huang C, Lu X, Zou R, Wei Y. Potentially Toxic Element Migration Characteristics and Bioavailability in Soils of the Black Shale Region, Western Zhejiang Province, China. Toxics. 2025; 13(8):679. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13080679
Chicago/Turabian StyleChen, Huanyuan, Baoliang Chen, Chunlei Huang, Xinzhe Lu, Ruosong Zou, and Yutong Wei. 2025. "Potentially Toxic Element Migration Characteristics and Bioavailability in Soils of the Black Shale Region, Western Zhejiang Province, China" Toxics 13, no. 8: 679. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13080679
APA StyleChen, H., Chen, B., Huang, C., Lu, X., Zou, R., & Wei, Y. (2025). Potentially Toxic Element Migration Characteristics and Bioavailability in Soils of the Black Shale Region, Western Zhejiang Province, China. Toxics, 13(8), 679. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13080679