Characteristics, source apportionment, and health risk assessment of heavy metal pollution in soil of jiangmen, China

Heavy metal accumulated in soil pose substantial threats to soil environmental quality and human health. Accurate identification of pollution sources is critical for implementing targeted prevention and control strategies. In this study, 118 surface soil samples were collected from Jiangmen City to examine the concentration, spatial distribution, sources, and health risks of heavy metals in the soil. The results revealed that the average concentrations of Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, and As exceeded their respective background values. Through the integration of Pearson correlation analysis and the Positive Matrix Factorization model, this study identified three primary pollution sources: industrial emissions (50%), land transport and shipping emissions (31%), and parent material and agricultural mixed sources (19%). Ecological risk assessment revealed that Jianghai and Pengjiang Districts posed the highest potential ecological risk, with an ecological risk index of 300. Health risk assessments further revealed that industrial emissions, as the primary influencing factor, pose potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks to both children and adults in Jiangmen City. This study provides a fundamental reference for understanding heavy metals contamination in the soil of Jiangmen City. The findings provide local authorities with targeted control measures to address long-term industrial pollution issues.