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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 47(2)

Heavy metal distribution, bioaccessibility, and phytoavailability in long-term contaminated soils from Lake Macquarie, Australia

Kwon-Rae Kim A B , Gary Owens A and Ravi Naidu A B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.

B Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment, PO Box 486, Salisbury South, SA 5106, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: Ravi.Naidu@crccare.com

Australian Journal of Soil Research 47(2) 166-176 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR08054
Submitted: 14 March 2008  Accepted: 20 October 2008   Published: 31 March 2009

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution, bioaccessibility, and phytoavailability of heavy metal(loids) in long-term contaminated soils within the vicinity of a lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) smelter in Lake Macquarie, NSW, Australia. Thirty-two representative surface (0–100 mm) soils were collected from the region surrounding the smelter. The soils were analysed for aqua regia extractable heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb), bioaccessibility using a simplified physiological-based extraction technique (SBET), and phytoavailability using 1 m NH4NO3 extractions, together with key soil properties known to influence metal speciation and availability.

The area was found to be potentially contaminated with heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) with many soil samples exceeding the Australian Health Investigation Levels for ‘Standard’ residential areas. Lead bioaccessibility ranged from 32 to 100% of the total Pb concentration, with bioaccessibility increasing as metal loading increased. Heavy metal phytoavailability was strongly related to soil pH for Cu (r2 = 0.84, P < 0.001), Pb (r2 = 0.70, P < 0.001), and Cd (r2 = 0.66, P < 0.001), implying that the phytoavailability of these heavy metal was mainly governed by soil acidity. Most significantly, the presence of multiple metals was found to influence metal phytoavailability. For example, the presence of Pb significantly influenced the phytoavailability of Cd (r2 = 0.89, P < 0.001) and Zn (r2 = 0.78, P < 0.001) in mixed heavy metal contaminated soils.

Additional keywords: bioavailability, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, SBET, smelter, long-term contamination.


Acknowledgements

We thank the Department of Education, Science and Technology (DEST), Australia, for the IPRS PhD scholarship to Kwon Rae, and Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of Environment (CRC-CARE) for providing significant funds towards the research to the authors.


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