Abstract:

In order to reveal situation of heavy metal pollution from various vertical heights in water flooding fluctuation zone of Three Gorges reservoir areas, soil samples investigated from various vertical heights including 145-155,155-165 and 165-175 m in water flooding fluctuation zone of Three Gorges reservoir areas were analyzed, which indicated that soil heavy metal pollutions mainly were caused by arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in comparison with mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) pollution due to relatively lower contents in soils. In addition, based on spatial distribution, the heavy metal contents showed a decreasing trend from Changshou to Badong, in which from up to down stream. Furthermore, the comprehensive assessment suggested that in nine investigated areas in water flooding fluctuation zone of Three Gorge reservoir, except for heavy metal contents in all three heights exceeded background values in Fulin, which belonged to slight pollution, all rest of counties were under alarming line, and no soil pollution were observed. Overall, soil heavy metal contamination in flooding areas were observed in Changshou and Fuling, thus the controlling pollution sources was an effective method to prevent increasing soil heavy metal pollution significantly in these areas.