Combined Pollution and Pollution Index of Heavy Metals in Red Soil

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of Pb,Cd,Cu,Zn and As coexisting in red soil on growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) mung bean(Vigna rabiata(Linn.) Wilczek),alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.),Slash pine(Pinus elliottii Engelm.)and aspen(Populus L.).Results showed that rice,mung bean and alfalfa were significantly influenced by combined poollution of the heavy metals,the contents of Pb,Cd and As in rice grains greatly exceeded the National Standards for Food Hygiene of China.Heavy metals at a high concentration seriously retarded growth of mung bean and alfalfa,but not so obviously with slash pine and aspen.The composite index is suggested for evaluating the relativity of combined pollution with heavy metals in soil.