Application of Different Indices for Soil Heavy Metal Pollution Risk Assessment Comparison and Uncertainty: A Case Study of a Copper Mine Tailing Site

The concentrations of Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cr, and Cd in soil were analyzed a mining area the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. average metal samples 204.07 mg/kg, 88.15 14.47 mg/kg 88.52 56.45 0.235 respectively. Based on evaluation standards, background values heavy metals, multiple pollution assessment indices, such as single factor index (Pi), geological accumulation (Igeo), Nemerow (Pn), ecological risk (ER), health (HI) applied to evaluate environmental risks study area. It was found that different layer depths (0–10 cm, 10–30 30–50 cm), result each showed there significant spatial differences levels, focus indices differed greatly from other. Pi put 18.14% at high contamination due fact this highlights Cu more than other relatively amplifies hazards some high-risk areas. While Pn indicated 61.36% safe level contamination, it can underestimate regional risk. In order scientifically carry out soil-pollution-risk prevention control, is necessary comprehensively compare analyze information disclosed by indices.