Soil Heavy Metal Pollution and Bioavailability in Baoshantao Mining Area, China

In areas with a high geological background of heavy metals, some edible plants could pose a serious threat to human health. In order to find effective methods to remove heavy metals or reduce their harm, this study investigated the enrichment conditions of five soil heavy metals, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr, in four edible plants in a mining area, Baoshantao, in eastern China that has a high geological background of metals, and two groups of experiments were designed to investigate the effects of passivators on their enrichment. The results showed that the soil heavy metal content in the study area has a certain degree of spatial variability. The five heavy metal element contaminants in the soil are in the order of Cd>Cu>Zn>Pb>Cr. The enrichment coefficients and the transfer coefficients of different edible plants were different for the different heavy metals. The two groups of passivators showed better passivating effects with an increase in passivating agent dosage. The smaller the enrichment coefficient of water spinach, the lower the bioavailability. The results of this study can provide a scientific basis for the restoration of soil heavy metal pollution and the safe use of land in areas with a high geological background of heavy metals.