Journal of Zhejiang Agricultural Sciences ›› 2025, Vol. 66 ›› Issue (11): 2759-2763.DOI: 10.16178/j.issn.0528-9017.20241005

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Evaluation of soil heavy metal pollution characteristics and potential ecological risks in different vegetable production areas

SHEN Qunchao(), WENG Ying, GAO Danna, JIANG Kaijie()   

  1. Cixi Agricultural Monitoring Center, Cixi 315300, Zhejiang
  • Received:2024-12-31 Online:2025-11-11 Published:2025-12-01

Abstract:

To analyze the characteristics of heavy metal contamination and potential ecological risks in soils across different vegetable production areas, this study categorized vegetable production areas into four types based on the impacts of industry, transportation, and urbanization on the quality and safety of agricultural products: general agricultural areas, peri-urban agricultural areas, areas alongside highways, and areas near industrial zones. Representative soil samples were collected from these four categories to compare the content of eight heavy metal elements, including lead, chromium, cadmium, copper, mercury, arsenic, zinc, and nickel. The results showed that vegetable production areas near industrial zones were the most affected, followed by peri-urban agricultural areas, areas alongside highways, while general agricultural areas were the least affected. The lead content was the highest on both sides of the highway, cadmium, chromium, copper, arsenic, and nickel contents were the highest near industrial areas, and mercury and zinc contents were the highest in the suburbs of cities. The potential ecological risk assessment results indicated that all four types of vegetable production areas were in a state of slight accumulation, with the order of accumulation status being areas near industrial zones>peri-urban agricultural areas>areas alongside highways>general agricultural areas. In addition, cadmium in all four types of areas reached moderate accumulation, while the other seven elements were slightly accumulated. However, each area still meets the requirements for green food production.

Key words: soil, heavy metal, function area, potential ecological risk

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