Impact of Urbanization on Shanghai＇s Soil Environmental Quality

Heavy metal contents in the soils in the Baoshan District of Shanghai were monitored to evaluate the risk of soilenvironmental quality degradation due to rapid urbanization and to reveal the ways of heavy metal accumulation in soilduring rapid urban sprawl. It was found that the soils in this district were commonly contaminated by Pb, Zn andCd. Evaluated with a geo-accumulation index (Igeo). the rate of Pb contamination in soils was 100% with 59% of thesegraded as moderate-severe or severe; Zn contamination reached 59%with 6%graded as moderate-severe or severe; andCd contamination was over 50%, with one site graded as moderate-severe and another severe-extremely severe. Metalcontamination of soils around the Shanghai metropolis was mainly attributed to trait'm, industrial production, wastewaterirrigation and improper disposal of solid wastes. Because of continuing urbanization, the cultivated land around themetropolis should be comprehensively planned and carefully managed. Also the soil environmental quality of vegetableproduction bases in this area should be monitored regularly, with vegetables to be grown selected according to the degreesand types of soil contamination.