The contamination of urban soils can affect the health of people living in urban areas, and the surrounding ecosystems. Urbanization in China has taken place at an unprecedented pace in the last three decades. This paper provides an overview of studies on the quality of urban soils in China with special reference to trace metal contamination. It summarizes the characteristics of accumulation, spatial and temporal distribution, and major sources of various toxic or potentially toxic trace metals in urban soils as reported in recent literature. Levels of pollution in urban soil and road dust were discussed using the concentrations, enrichment factors, pollution indexes, and chemical fractionation of trace metals in major cities of China, and compared with other countries. In future studies, more pollutants in urban environments need to be included in multi-compartmental environmental surveillance for potential risk assessments. In addition to routine urban soil surveys by a harmonized methodology, a comprehensive assessment of soil quality is needed for the control and management of many urban brownfield sites. Taking into consideration pathways of exposure and site characteristics, risk assessment frameworks for major pollutants in urban soils, which integrate land use type and environmental availability, may be developed in the future.

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SummaryRapid industrialization and urbanization during recent decades are having dramatic effects on urban soil properties and lead to large discharges of pollutants, which inevitably affect the health of the soil, ecosystems and human populations. This paper provides a systematic review of the relations between urban soil and human health. First, it summarizes the organic and inorganic pollutants in urban soil and their potential risks to human health. Second, the relations between urban greenbelt land, soil microbial diversity and human health are also explored. Third, we propose that future research should focus on the integration of assessments of health risks with exposure pathways and site characteristics. Bioavailability-based risk assessment frameworks for pollutants in urban soil can elucidate the complicated relations between urban soil, pollutant exposure and human health in cities. Finally, management of urban soil and policy should be strengthened in the future to maintain its sustainable development and utilization. More effort should be directed to understanding the relations between soil microbial diversity, green space and human health in cities.

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