• Geographical Research
  • Vol. 39, Issue 6, 1233 (2020)
Jianhua MA1、1、2、2、*, Changxu HAN3、3, and Yuling JIANG1、1、2、2
Author Affiliations
  • 1Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions (Henan University), Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China
  • 1黄河中下游数字地理技术教育部重点实验室(河南大学),开封 475004
  • 2National Demonstration Center for Environmental and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
  • 2河南大学环境与规划国家级实验教学示范中心,开封 475004
  • 3College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
  • 3同济大学环境科学与工程学院,上海 200092
  • show less
    DOI: 10.11821/dlyj020190632 Cite this Article
    Jianhua MA, Changxu HAN, Yuling JIANG. Some problems in the application of potential ecological risk index[J]. Geographical Research, 2020, 39(6): 1233 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Through reviewing 2323 papers on the potential ecological risk index (RI) proposed by H?kanson during 2001-2018, especially focusing on 203 papers published in some famous journals at home and abroad since 2008, the following problems were found: (1) H?kanson's RI is an ecological risk assessment method based on the theory of water environment sedimentology. Therefore it is not suitable to be applied to soil, especially not to water solute, atmospheric particulate matter, surface dust, plant or crop, etc. However, 49.29% of the 2323 papers have misplaced evaluation objects. (2) The grading criteria of potential ecological risk factor (Er) and RI proposed by H?kanson can not be mechanically copied. So, it should be adjusted according to the specific types and quantities of pollutants studied. The limit value of the first level of Er should be the maximum value of toxic coefficient (Stmax) of all the evaluated pollutants, and the limit value of the first level of RI can be obtained by ∑St i×1.13 with ten integers. However, most of the studies ignored the types and quantities of the pollutants, and copied indiscriminatingly the Er and RI classification criteria of H?kanson, which led to incorrect conclusions. The papers used the incorrect criteria of Er and RI, taking up 49.01% and 61.40% of the 203 papers, respectively. Although some researchers had adjusted the RI classification criteria according to the types and quantities of pollutants, only 23.81% of the papers are correct. (3) When only single ecological risk of Hg or comprehensive ecological risk of multiple heavy metals including Hg are evaluated, the StHg can not be replaced by TrHg.
    Jianhua MA, Changxu HAN, Yuling JIANG. Some problems in the application of potential ecological risk index[J]. Geographical Research, 2020, 39(6): 1233
    Download Citation