Urban geochemistry and human-impacted imprint of dissolved trace and rare earth elements in a high-tech industrial city, Suzhou

Abstract

Due to the rapid urbanization process, the consumption of trace and rare earth elements has dramatically increased. Although some elements have been extensively studied due to their high biological toxicity, most elements are ignored and taken seriously in recent years. Here, we investigated the urban geochemistry, source, and anthropogenic responding factor for 15 trace elements (Cd, Pb, Co, Sn, Cu, Ni, V, As, Mo, Sb, Al, Li, Fe, Zn, and Sr) and rare earth elements in surface water of the Suzhou city. The percentage of anthropogenic gadolinium vary from 46.9% (YCH-2) to 92.8% (WS-2), while the analysis of variance shows that human activities may affect the distribution of Cd, Co, Sn, Ni, As, Li, Fe, and Sr. Three clusters are obtained from the correlation and cluster analysis. The Cluster 1 with a significant positive correlation of Pb, Cd, Gd, Li, Sr, Co, Fe, Ni, and Sn reflecting these elements are dominantly influenced by urban sewage and industrial activities. The Cluster 2 (Zn, Cu, and Al) can be attributed to geologic sources, while the Cluster 3 (V, Mo, As, and Sb) indicate the combined action of agricultural and urban activities. The Gd versus Li plot showed a significant positive correlation, which can be used as a new indicator to trace the anthropogenic impact on urban waters. Overall, this study provides clear evidence that the content and distribution of Gd and Li are deeply affected by human activities in a high-tech industrial city (Suzhou), which can be regarded as emerging elements contaminations.