Impact of municipal solid waste incineration on heavy metals in the surrounding soils by multivariate analysis and lead isotope analysis

Yang Li; Hua Zhang; Liming Shao; Xiaoli Zhou; Pinjing He

doi:10.1016/j.jes.2019.02.020

Impact of municipal solid waste incineration on heavy metals in the surrounding soils by multivariate analysis and lead isotope analysis

J Environ Sci (China). 2019 Aug:82:47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2019.02.020. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Authors

Yang Li¹, Hua Zhang², Liming Shao³, Xiaoli Zhou⁴, Pinjing He⁵

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: linziyi_ly@163.com.
² State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Centre for the Technology Research and Training on Household Waste in Small Towns & Rural Area, Ministry of Housing Urban-Rural Development, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
⁵ Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Centre for the Technology Research and Training on Household Waste in Small Towns & Rural Area, Ministry of Housing Urban-Rural Development, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: solidwaste@tongji.edu.cn.

PMID: 31133269
DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2019.02.020

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration has become an important anthropogenic source of heavy metals (HMs) to the environment. However, assessing the impact of MSW incineration on HMs in the environment, especially soils, can be a challenging task because of various HM sources. To investigate the effect of MSW incineration on HMs in soils, soil samples collected at different distances from four MSW incinerators in Shanghai, China were analyzed for their contents of eight HMs (antimony, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc) and lead (Pb) isotope ratios. Source identification and apportionment of HMs were accomplished using principal component analysis and Pb isotope analysis. Results indicated that the relatively high contents of cadmium, lead, antimony, and zinc in the soils at 250 m and 750-1250 m away from the MSW incinerators were related to MSW incineration, while the elevated contents of the other four HMs were associated with other anthropogenic activities. Based on Pb isotope analysis, the contribution ratio of MSW incineration (which had been operated for more than 14 years) to the accumulation of Pb in soil was approximately 10% on average, which was lower than coal combustion only. Incinerator emissions of Pb could have a measurable effect on the soil contamination within a limited area (≤1500 m).

Keywords: Heavy metals; Municipal solid waste incineration; Pb isotope ratios; Soils; Source identification.

MeSH terms

China
Environmental Monitoring / methods*
Incineration*
Lead / analysis
Metals, Heavy / analysis*
Multivariate Analysis
Soil Pollutants / analysis*

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Soil Pollutants
Lead