Analysis of the spatial variation of Pb in the water-level-fluctuating zone of Xiao River based on GIS mapping techniques

The geostatistical method was used for predicting the distribution of the content of Pb and tracing the hotspots in water-level-fluctuating zone. The hotspots of Pb pollution which indicated higher risk than other areas were identified to be mainly distributed in the water-level-fluctuating zone of soils near populated areas along the Xiao River. The mean contents of Pb in soils are more than 2 times greater than the reference values. The anthropogenic factors were the main sources for Pb concentration in soils of the study area, which obviously affect the distribution of Pb.