Spatial variability of soil heavy metals in the three gorges area: multivariate and geostatistical analyses

There is a growing concern about environmental contamination in the three gorges area. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial variability and the possible influence factors of seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) in the center of this area based on multivariate and geostatistical approaches. All analyzed heavy metals were below their background levels, except Cd. The average concentrations of the analyzed elements in topsoil (0–20 cm) were 5.83 mg As kg − 1, 0.21 mg Cd kg − 1, 78.79 mg Cr kg − 1, 21.53 mg Cu kg − 1, 0.049 mg Hg kg − 1, 24.12 mg Pb kg − 1, and 68.5 mg Zn kg − 1. The concentration of As was mostly due to parent materials, whereas the source of Pb was mainly due to vehicle exhaust. The high concentration of Cd was resulted from agricultural practices and parent materials. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, Hg, and Zn were associated with parent materials and human activities.