ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Pollution Assessment and Source Apportionment
of Heavy Metals in Sediments of Subsidence
Section of Luling Mine in the Tuohe River, China
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1
School of Environment and Surveying Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, PR China
2
National Engineering Research Center of Coal Mine Water Hazard Controlling, Suzhou University,
Suzhou 234000, PR China
Submission date: 2023-11-04
Final revision date: 2024-04-03
Acceptance date: 2024-04-18
Online publication date: 2024-09-02
Corresponding author
Zhichun Li
School of Environment and Surveying Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, PR China
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ABSTRACT
It is crucial to clarify the concentrations and sources of heavy metals in sediment under
the influence of coal mining activities. This study surveyed heavy metals (V, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr,
and As) in sediments from the mine subsidence section of the Tuohe River in the Huaibei coalfield of
China. The Enrichment Factor (EF) method and the Nemerow Comprehensive Pollution Index (NCPI)
method were applied to evaluate the contamination status of heavy metals in sediments. Principal
Component Analysis (PCA) and the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model were used to apportion
the sources of heavy metals. The results showed that the mean contents of V, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb,
Cr, and As were 0.93, 1.21, 1.20, 1.06, 1.15, 0.80, 1.18, 1.78 times higher than the background values,
respectively. EF results showed that the pollution levels of Cr and As were higher than other heavy
metals in the study area. NCPI results showed that the sites S1-S7 and S10-S11 of the subsidence section
were slightly polluted while the sites S8-S9 of the non-subsidence section were moderately polluted.
Based on PCA and PMF, three sources were identified: mining source (37.2%), agricultural source
(34.8%), and natural source (28.0%). This study provides further insights into the heavy metal pollution
treatment of aquatic ecosystems in mining areas.