Heavy metal contamination, sources, and pollution assessment of surface water in the Tianshan Mountains of China

In order to gain insight into heavy metal contamination occurring in the surface water of the Tianshan Mountains in northwest China, we collected surface water samples from there, tested heavy metals Pb, Ni, Cd, Co, Hg, As, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Cr, and then we analyzed the data using typical analysis, multivariate statistical, and pollution index methods. Results showed that (1) the order of the average values of the ten kinds of heavy metals in all the water samples was as follows: Zn > Mn > Cu > Co > Ni > Pb > Cr > As > Hg > Cd. The maximum variation coefficients of Zn and Pb were 138.96 and 145.86 %, respectively, indicating that these heavy metal concentrations varied largely between different sampling locations. (2) Research showed the average concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, Cu, Zn, and Cr were all within the national surface water standard of class IV and those of As, Cu, Mn, and Cr were all within the range of the Drinking Water Guidelines from the WHO, indicating the surface water of the Tianshan Mountains is clean. (3) Multivariate statistical analysis showed that Cu, Cd, Mn, Hg, Zn, and Pb have close correlations, and they mainly came from artificial sources; while Ni, As, Co, Cu, and Cr mainly came from natural sources. The results of correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis are consistent. (4) Pollution evaluation showed the values of comprehensive pollution index (WQI) of ten kinds of heavy metals in three sections were all lower than 2, suggesting the low levels of pollution, while the over-limit ratios of Pb and Zn in water samples of the middle Urumqi–Akesu section, As in the western Zhaosu–Tekesi section, and Pb, Hg, and Zn in the eastern Balikun–Yiwu section were all above 10 %. This research shows that recent economic development of the Tianshan Mountains has negatively influenced the heavy metal concentrations in the surface water, although the concentrations of the ten kinds of tested heavy metals are relatively low.