Lithological controls on arsenic accumulation in cultivated soils: observations from typical karst areas in Central Guizhou, Southwest China.

In this study, topsoil and soil profiles were collected from typical karst areas in central Guizhou to investigate the accumulation and bioavailability of As in cultivated soils. The parent material of the investigated soil is carbonate rock, but there is strong heterogeneity in the As concentrations of soils developed in the Permian and Triassic, with average concentrations of 18.31 and 40.

Distribution characteristics and potential pollution assessment of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn) in reservoir sediments from a historical artisanal zinc smelting area in Southwest China.

Reservoir sediment contamination with heavy metals produced by mining activities has aroused widespread global concern owing to its potential threat to human health. In this study, the total concentrations and speciation of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn) in the Lexi (LX) and Maoshui (MS) reservoirs around the historical artisanal zinc smelting area in Southwest China were determined, and pollution indices were applied to assess the pollution levels and potential ecological risks of the two reservoirs. The results showed that all the detected samples in the two reservoirs presented significant metal accumulation, especially for Cd, as compared with the soil background values in Guizhou Province.