Study on soil heavy metals contamination of a lead refinery

The contents of Pb, Cd, Cr, As, and Hg was investigated in the neighboring areas of a lead smelting enterprise and the metals contamination of soil was evaluated with the methodologies of the single factor index and Nemerow integrated index. It is found that the content of heavy metals in the neighboring areas has no obvious difference from the reference points. And the soil contamination of heavy metals varies by elements, the contamination index follows the pollution order: Cd>Hg>Cr>As>Pb. The pollution degree of Cd is at high level and Hg at low level, but Cr and As reached the warning level. Therefore, the lead smelting enterprises should not only control lead but also other heavy metals as Cd.