The nature and distribution of Cu, Zn, Hg, and Pb in urban soils of a regional city: Lithgow, Australia

This study investigates the concentration and spatial distribution of Cu, Zn, Hg and Pb in the surface (0–2 cm) soils of a regional city in Australia. Surface soils were collected from road sides and analysed for their total Cu, Zn, Hg and Pb concentrations in the <180 μm and <2 mm grain size fractions. The average metal concentration of surface soils, relative to local background soils at 40–50 cm depth, are twice as enriched in Hg, more than three times enriched in Cu and Zn, and nearly six times as enriched in Pb. Median surface soil metal concentration values were Cu – 39 mg/kg (682 mg/kg max), Zn – 120 mg/kg (4950 mg/kg max), Hg – 44 μg/kg (14,900 μg/kg max) and Pb – 46 mg/kg (3490 mg/kg max). Five sites exceeded the Australian NEPC (1999) 300 mg/kg guideline for Pb in residential soils. Strong positive correlations between Cu, Zn and Pb, coupled with the spatial distribution of elevated soil concentrations towards the city centre and main roads suggest traffic and older housing as major sources of contamination. No spatial relationships were identified between elevated metal loadings and locations of past or present industries.