Affiliations: Institute for Environment and Resources (IER), Vietnam
National University of Hochiminh City, 142 To Hien Thanh, Q. 10, Hochiminh
City | University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, Institute of Geology
and Mineralogy Schlossgarten 5, D91054 Erlangen, Germany | University of Mining and Geology, Dong Ngac, Tu Liem,
Hanoi, Vietnam
Abstract: 35 surface soil samples (0–25 cm) were collected from the
Danang-Hoian area, one of the rapidly developing urban areas in Vietnam, in
order to study the degree of anthropogenic pollution. The samples were analyzed
for their major and trace metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Al, Fe and Mn),
organic carbon and soil pH. Factor analysis was applied to classify the sources
of trace elements and distinguish the natural background and anthropogenic
anomalies. Three-factor model accounted for 74.3% of the total data variance.
The first component explains the pedogenic processes which mainly controls the
elements Co, Cr, Ni, Al, Fe and Mn. The second component contains Cu and Zn
which mainly relates to the agricultural activities and the industrial as well
as domestic waste disposal. The third component explains the correlation among
Cd, Pb, TOC and pH which are mainly associated with domestic and industrial
pollutants.
