Preliminary research on pollution level of heavy metals in farmland soils along both sides of main roads in Jiangsu

A survey research on heavy metals Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, Cd in farmland soils along the main roads and a risk assessment of the soil environment were carried out. The result showed that heavy metals in different road sections were accumulated at different levels. The contents of most heavy metals in the farmland soils along two roads were a bit higher than those in the soil background and its potential ecological risk was low. But Cd in the farmland soil of some road sections was accumulated at a higher level than other heavy metals. Heavy metals in the studied two roads were accumulated at different levels. The maximum contents of heavy metals were found in the samples located in 50m far from roadbed along Nanjing to Nantong highway, and the maximum contents of heavy metals were found in the samples located in 30m from roadbed along national highway 204.