Heavy Metal Contamination in Roadside Greenbelts of Megacities: Source Identification and Ecological Risks along Yan'an Road, Shanghai
摘要
This study investigated the pollution characteristics, ecological risks, and sources of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni) in urban roadside soils along Yan'an Road, Shanghai, to address knowledge gaps regarding traffic-derived metal contamination and its association with urbanization patterns. Systematic soil sampling (n = 30) across three road sections was conducted, with metals quantified via atomic absorption spectrometry. Multidimensional assessment employed: (1) pollution index (PI) and Nemero index (PN) for pollution grading, (2) potential ecological risk index (RI) for hazard evaluation, and (3) principal component analysis (PCA) for source apportionment. Urbanization parameters (traffic density, land use) were integrated into spatial analysis. All metals exceeded Shanghai background values (Pb:455%, Zn: 306%, Cd 308%). Severe pollution (PI > 3) was observed for Cd, Zn, and Pb, with Cd demonstrating the highest ecological risk (