Distinct Dispersion of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn in Farmland Soils near Abandoned Mine Tailings: Field Observation Results in South Korea

Abstract

We investigated the characteristics of metal(loid) transport and dispersion in agricultural soils near an abandoned metal mine. Topsoil samples were collected from 162 sampling sites in the study area, including 1 in the mine tailing dumps, to analyze the total concentrations of As, Pb, Cd, and Zn. Subsequently, the metal(loid) transport and dispersion characteristics were investigated using geographic information system (GIS) technology. The results of this study clearly demonstrated the variation in the dispersal of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn from the mine tailing dumps to nearby agricultural soils and the element-specific spatial variability in their respective transport and dispersion characteristics. These findings suggested that compared with the migration behavior of Cd, Pb, and Zn, that of As has a farther-reaching impact on agricultural soils owing to its geochemical cycling in the soil and groundwater environment. This impact differed significantly in magnitude from that of the other investigated metals. Therefore, special consideration must be given to the migration behavior of As.