Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution of Industrial Soils in Shanghai by Multivariate Analysis, China

Assessing the concentration of potentially harmful heavy metals in the soil of industrial area is imperative in order to evaluate the potential risks to residents. To date, little research on soil pollution in China's industrial soil has been conducted. To identify the concentrations and sources of heavy metals, and to assess the soil environmental quality, samples were collected from 10 districts located in the city of Shanghai. Subsequently, the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the samples were analyzed. Ni pollution was not evident, Cr pollution was rather serious and 90% districts exceeded the severe effect level (TCL) and the other heavy metals were between the lowest effect level (FCL) and TCL. The Nemeorw index (PI), Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), ecological risk factor (ERF), principal components analysis (PCA) and ecological risk index (RI) were used to assess the industrial soil quality. The districts monitored were classified into four groups. There were five districts in severe pollution level, four districts in moderate pollution level and one in light pollution level. Further research in other industrial areas of the region would improve the basis for proposing such soil quality standards.