Source Apportionment and Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements Based on PCA and PMF Model in Black Soil Area of Hailun City, Northeast China

Abstract

This study assessed the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in China’s northeastern black soil belt, an area with limited prior research. We collected 304 soil samples (0–20 cm) from Gonghe Town, Hailun City, and analyzed the PTE contamination degree using the single-factor pollution index and Nemerow pollution index. The results demonstrated that the mean concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were 11.16, 0.11, 65.29, 22.56, 0.03, 27.07, 26.09, and 66.01 mg/kg, respectively. Source apportionment was conducted via correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and positive matrix factorization, identifying four main sources: natural (33.2%), irrigation (29.5%), fuel (23.4%), and fertilizer (13.2%). The ecological risk index indicated a slight ecological risk, while the human health risk showed that non-carcinogenic risks were negligible and carcinogenic risks were acceptable. Our findings emphasize the need to prioritize controlling PTEs from fertilizer, particularly cadmium, and to a lesser extent, irrigation and fuel sources, focusing on As, Pband Hg. This research provides critical insights for policymakers aiming to manage PTE contamination in black soils.

Keywords

• potentially toxic elements
• PCA
• PMF
• source apportionment
• risk assessment
• black soil