Spatial Differentiation Characteristics and Evaluation of Cu and Cd in Paddy Soil around a Copper Smelter

To accurately evaluate the distribution and bioavailability of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as Cu and Cd in farmlands near a copper smelter, we determined the total concentrations (Cu-T and Cd-T), various speciation concentrations of Cu and Cd and physicochemical properties of 18 paddy soil (or colloid) samples in Guixi town, Jiangxi province, China. The results showed that the concentrations of Cu-T and Cd-T in the soil around the smelter far exceeded the standard limits. Specifically, Cu ranged from 97.47 to 1294.63 mg·kg(−1), with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 0.95; Cd ranged from 0.14 to 9.06 mg·kg(−1), and the CV was 1.68. Furthermore, the pollution of PTEs continued to accumulate, posing a significant risk to the environment and human health. The findings from the analysis of soil and colloid indicated that the distribution characteristics of Cu and Cd speciations did not align with the total concentrations. The highest pollution points were found to be shifted to the residual fraction of Cu, organic fraction, and crystalline iron oxide fraction of Cd in soil. The dominant fraction of Cu in colloid was the amorphous iron oxide fraction, whereas Cd was the crystalline iron oxide fraction. The assessment of Cu and Cd migration (M(R)) revealed that Cd posed a greater ecological risk. Further examination of the properties of iron oxides in soil and colloid revealed that they played a crucial role in the migration and transformation of soil PTEs.