TY - JOUR
T1 - Traffic-related trace elements in soils along six highway segments on the Tibetan Plateau
T2 - Influence factors and spatial variation
AU - Wang, Guanxing
AU - Zeng, Chen
AU - Zhang, Fan
AU - Zhang, Yili
AU - Scott, Christopher A.
AU - Yan, Xuedong
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 41422101). The authors are particularly grateful to Dr. Wang Xiang, Mr. Hongtao Pang and Miss Dan Gao for their help in collecting samples during the field word and sample analysis in laboratory work.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2017/3/1
Y1 - 2017/3/1
N2 - The accumulation of traffic-related trace elements in soil as the result of anthropogenic activities raises serious concerns about environmental pollution and public health. Traffic is the main source of trace elements in roadside soil on the Tibetan Plateau, an area otherwise devoid of industrial emissions. Indeed, the rapid development of tourism and transportation in this region means it is becoming increasingly important to identify the accumulation levels, influence distance, spatial distribution, and other relevant factors influencing trace elements. In this study, 229 soil samples along six segments of the major transportation routes on the Tibetan Plateau (highways G214, S308, and G109), were collected for analysis of eight trace elements (Cr, Co, Ni, As, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb). The results of statistical analyses showed that of the eight trace elements in soils, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb were primarily derived from traffic. The relationship between the trace element accumulation levels and the distance from the roadside followed an exponential decline, with the exception of Segment 3, the only unpaved gravel road studied. In addition, the distance of influence from the roadside varied by trace element and segment, ranging from 16 m to 144 m. Background values for each segment were different because of soil heterogeneity, while a number of other potential influencing factors (including traffic volume, road surface material, roadside distance, land cover, terrain, and altitude) all had significant effects on trace-element concentrations. Overall, however, concentrations along most of the road segments investigated were at, or below, levels defined as low on the Nemero Synthesis index.
AB - The accumulation of traffic-related trace elements in soil as the result of anthropogenic activities raises serious concerns about environmental pollution and public health. Traffic is the main source of trace elements in roadside soil on the Tibetan Plateau, an area otherwise devoid of industrial emissions. Indeed, the rapid development of tourism and transportation in this region means it is becoming increasingly important to identify the accumulation levels, influence distance, spatial distribution, and other relevant factors influencing trace elements. In this study, 229 soil samples along six segments of the major transportation routes on the Tibetan Plateau (highways G214, S308, and G109), were collected for analysis of eight trace elements (Cr, Co, Ni, As, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb). The results of statistical analyses showed that of the eight trace elements in soils, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb were primarily derived from traffic. The relationship between the trace element accumulation levels and the distance from the roadside followed an exponential decline, with the exception of Segment 3, the only unpaved gravel road studied. In addition, the distance of influence from the roadside varied by trace element and segment, ranging from 16 m to 144 m. Background values for each segment were different because of soil heterogeneity, while a number of other potential influencing factors (including traffic volume, road surface material, roadside distance, land cover, terrain, and altitude) all had significant effects on trace-element concentrations. Overall, however, concentrations along most of the road segments investigated were at, or below, levels defined as low on the Nemero Synthesis index.
KW - Nemero Synthesis index
KW - Roadside soil
KW - Spatial distribution
KW - Tibetan Plateau highways
KW - Traffic-related trace elements
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009468152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85009468152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.018
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 28088547
AN - SCOPUS:85009468152
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 581-582
SP - 811
EP - 821
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
ER -