In-situ Soil Pollution by Heavy Metal in an abandoned Tungsten Smelting Plant

In order to prevent damage to environmental quality and human health caused by heavy metal pollution in the soil, ICP-MS was used to analyze the contents of five heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and As in the soil sample of a waste tungsten smelter in Jiangxi. Single pollution index, comprehensive index and potential ecological risk assessment method were applied to evaluation the situation. The results showed that the distribution of heavy metals in the soil characterized spatial differentiation, and the seriousness of pollution is ranked as waste dumping area> drainage> pond surroundings> planting fields> workshop> breeding area. Both the pollution index and the ecological risk assessment results indicated that the in-situ soil is seriously polluted by heavy metals, especially the Cd, Cu and Pb associated with tungsten ore. In the following soil remediation, priority should be given to the treatment of heavily polluted land and heavy metals.