Abstract: Spatial variability of heavy metals in soils and Chinese leeks in a vegetable production area of 70 ha beside highway of suburb was studied using traditional statistics and geo-statistics.The results showed that the contents of soil total Cu,Zn,Pb and Cd tended to decrease with increasing distance away from highway,but their contents were below the 2nd criteria of environmental quality standard for soils,indicating no potential threat to the plants and environment in this study area.The contents of Pb in edible Chinese leek parts also decreased with increasing distance away from highway,with the percentage of edible Chinese leek samples beyond the criteria of national Chinese leek sanitary quality being 86%-100% within 280 m from the highway locating in south of the study area to north and 75% within 90 m from the highway locating in west of the study area to east,respectively.The contents of Pb in most edible Chinese leek samples beyond national Chinese leek sanitary quality probably resulted from total Pb in soils and Pb uptake by Chinese leek from the tail gases emitted by automobiles.Difference in spatial distribution of Pb in edible Chinese leek parts from the highway locating in south of the study area to north and from the highway locating in west of the study area to east was caused by different tree shelter with different range of movement for the tail gases emitted by automobiles.

Key words: Highway of suburb, Soils in vegetable field, Chinese leek, Heavy metals, Spatial variability

CLC Number: 

• S633.3