Assessment of tea garden soils at An'xi County in southeast China reveals a mild threat from contamination of potentially harmful elements.

ABSTRACT: An extensive study of the spatial distribution characteristics of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) garden soils and ecological risk assessment at An'xi County, the birthplace of oolong tea in China, was implemented. A total of 78 soil samples were examined to determine the concentration of five PHEs (As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb), soil organic matter and pH by using geostatistical approaches combined with geographical information system analysis. All PHEs presented in the study area were slightly higher than their background values for provincial and national standards except Cr. Moreover, ecological risk assessment of PHEs in the tea garden soils at An'xi County was performed by means of the Håkanson method. The average ecological potential ris

SUBMITTER: Cao HL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6124080 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature