Quantitative Source Identification, Pollution Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soils of a Diamond Mining Area
2025
Anna Gololobova | Yana Legostaeva
Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are the most important indicators of environmental pollution and represent a potential risk to the ecology and human health in industrial regions. Eight potentially toxic elements (Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, Pb, Zn, Cd, As) in soils formed on the territory of the industrial site of the Udachny Mining and Processing Division were considered in this study. The potential ecological risk index (RI) was calculated to determine environmental risks of soil contamination. The concentrations of PTEs decreased in the following order Mn >: Ni >: Zn >: Co >: Pb >: Cr >: As >: Cd. In total, 19.51% of the sites in the study area exhibited a high potential ecological risk for Mn and Ni, while only 4.87% exhibited a low potential ecological risk for other PTEs. The greatest impacts on soil contamination are exerted by the areas of the Udachny and Zarnitsa pipes, tailings ponds, and the area&rsquo:s highly mineralized water outlet. The results of correlation analysis (CA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that the same groups of elements were present: Co-Cr-Ni and Cd-Zn. The PMF findings demonstrate that the five main diverse sources of PTEs in this study area&rsquo:s soils were natural, mining activities, transportation, and industrialization, as well as highly mineralized waters.
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