Characteristics of Heavy Metals in Soil Profile and Pore Water Around Hechi Antimony-Lead Smelter,Guangxi,China
广西铅锑矿冶炼区土壤剖面及孔隙水中重金属污染分布规律

In the area around an antimony-lead smelter, soil and soil water samples were collected from different soil profiles in vegetable field, uncultivated field and wood field. The distribution and migration of heavy metals in soil profile were investigated. In soil, Sb, Pb, Cu and Cd are found to accumulate in the topsoil layer, and decrease rapidly with the depth. However, Sb, Pb, and As appear to accumulate below 60 cm. Sb and As show a much stronger affinity to the pore water than Pb. In consequence, different soil utilization types lead to different effects of heavy metals migration in soil profile. Furthermore, Sb and As show a higher potential to migrate along the soil profile than that of Pb. In addition, the high content of heavy metals in the topsoil may be absorbed by crops post to desorption in soil water, and possibly form a threat to human health.