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Purpose <p>This study aims to evaluate the accumulation characteristics, potential ecological risks, and health risks of heavy metals (HMs) in tea garden (TGn) soils, and to compare them with other land-use types including peach orchards (POd), rapeseed fields (RFd), camphor forests (CFt), and wasteland (WLd). The goal is to provide a scientific basis for controlling soil pollution in and around TGn, supporting rational land-use planning, and ensuring the sustainable development of the tea industry.</p> Materials and methods <p>The HMs in soils from TGn and surrounding agricultural and wasteland areas were extracted by mixed acid digestion. The concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Then, the pollution of HMs was evaluated using the enrichment factor (EF) and index of geo-accumulation (Igeo). The potential ecological risk and health risk were evaluated using the potential ecological risk index method and the USEPA health risk assessment model, respectively.</p> Results and discussion <p>The results indicated significant spatial heterogeneity and land-use dependence of HM contamination. Soils under different land-use types exhibited distinct contamination profiles: TGn soils were characterized by a unique pattern of low overall enrichment but selective arsenic (As) enrichment, whereas Pod soils were enriched with high concentrations of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) due to agricultural inputs. RFd soils also showed As enrichment associated with historical pesticide use. Ecological risk assessment identified POd as having the highest risk, primarily driven by Cd and Cu. Health risk assessment suggested no appreciable non-carcinogenic risks across all land-use types; however, the carcinogenic risks of chromium (Cr) and As exceeded the acceptable level of 1 × 10<sup>− 6</sup>.</p> Conclusions <p>This study highlights that TGn soils possess a unique HM contamination signature—low overall burden but selectively vulnerable to As, which distinguishes them from intensively managed orchards and croplands where agricultural inputs drive broader HM accumulation. This finding underscores the necessity of land-use-specific management strategies. For TGn, the priority is to implement targeted monitoring and remediation for As while maintaining practices that prevent general HM input. Regionally, controlling Cu and Cd in intensively managed orchards and addressing historical As residues remain crucial. The research provides a scientific basis for such differentiated approaches to ensure soil safety and sustainable agricultural production.</p>

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The occurrence characteristics and risk assessment of heavy metals in tea garden soil in the Southeast of Hubei province: a comparative study with surrounding agricultural and wasteland areas

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月9日

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  • Jingtao Fan,
  • Boheng Chen,
  • Yue Li,
  • Chongju Wang,
  • Xiu Li,
  • Yingkun Zhang,
  • Yao Mao,
  • Shan Liu,
  • Jiaquan Zhang,
  • Tianpeng Hu

摘要

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the accumulation characteristics, potential ecological risks, and health risks of heavy metals (HMs) in tea garden (TGn) soils, and to compare them with other land-use types including peach orchards (POd), rapeseed fields (RFd), camphor forests (CFt), and wasteland (WLd). The goal is to provide a scientific basis for controlling soil pollution in and around TGn, supporting rational land-use planning, and ensuring the sustainable development of the tea industry.

Materials and methods

The HMs in soils from TGn and surrounding agricultural and wasteland areas were extracted by mixed acid digestion. The concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Then, the pollution of HMs was evaluated using the enrichment factor (EF) and index of geo-accumulation (Igeo). The potential ecological risk and health risk were evaluated using the potential ecological risk index method and the USEPA health risk assessment model, respectively.

Results and discussion

The results indicated significant spatial heterogeneity and land-use dependence of HM contamination. Soils under different land-use types exhibited distinct contamination profiles: TGn soils were characterized by a unique pattern of low overall enrichment but selective arsenic (As) enrichment, whereas Pod soils were enriched with high concentrations of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) due to agricultural inputs. RFd soils also showed As enrichment associated with historical pesticide use. Ecological risk assessment identified POd as having the highest risk, primarily driven by Cd and Cu. Health risk assessment suggested no appreciable non-carcinogenic risks across all land-use types; however, the carcinogenic risks of chromium (Cr) and As exceeded the acceptable level of 1 × 10− 6.

Conclusions

This study highlights that TGn soils possess a unique HM contamination signature—low overall burden but selectively vulnerable to As, which distinguishes them from intensively managed orchards and croplands where agricultural inputs drive broader HM accumulation. This finding underscores the necessity of land-use-specific management strategies. For TGn, the priority is to implement targeted monitoring and remediation for As while maintaining practices that prevent general HM input. Regionally, controlling Cu and Cd in intensively managed orchards and addressing historical As residues remain crucial. The research provides a scientific basis for such differentiated approaches to ensure soil safety and sustainable agricultural production.