Heavy Metals Contamination in Greenhouse Soils and Vegetables in Guanzhong, China

Ling Liu^1,2*, Jinyin Lu², Zhenwen Zhang¹, Hai Zheng³, Xiaoqing Gao¹, Wei Zhang²

¹Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Environmental Sciences, Xi’an, China.
²College of Life Science, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, China.
³Environmental Protection Department of the Northwest Environmental Protection Supervision Center, Xi’an, China.

DOI: 10.4236/jeas.2014.43009                

Abstract

This study used a flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) and atomic fluorescence spec-trophotometer (AFS) to detect the concentrations of chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), hy-drargyrum (Hg) and arsenic (As) in soils and three genotypes of vegetables in greenhouse, as well as analyzed the physical and chemical properties of soils, including soil pH, soil organic matter (OM), basic nutrients, electrical conductivity (EC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in Guan- zhong areas, Shaanxi province, China. The results showed that comparing to subsoil, the sampled topsoil is enriched in Cr, Cd, Pb, As and Hg. Cd (0.83 - 3.17 mg·kg^-1) and Hg (0.40 - 1.44 mg·kg^-1) are exceeding the limited value stated in “the 2006 Greenhouse Vegetable Producing Environmental Quality Evaluation Standards” of 0.40 mg·kg^-1 and 0.35 mg·kg^-1 respectively. However, Nanzhuang greenhouse soil is within the limits. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) of soil in Sanyuan (8.10) is the highest and in Dongzhang (4.23) is the lowest. The contents of Pb (0.201 - 0.376 mg·kg^-1) were exceeding the limited value (0.20 mg·kg^-1) in vegetables species, and Cd (0.0363 - 0.0572 mg·kg^-1) in some place were also exceeding the limited value (0.05 mg·kg^-1). Greenhouse soils were becoming acidified year after year; the ratios of N, P and K in soil were seriously imbalanced. According to the impacting factors, OM, pH, available P, EC and CEC have obviously effected the accumulation of Cr and Hg. However, there was not enough evidence for the effects of available nitrogen and available potassium.

Keywords

Heavy Metals, Soils, Vegetables, Greenhouse

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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