Mobilization of mercury, thallium and arsenic in soil hydrological processes in karst catchment, southwest China.

Soils are natural pools of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and their hydrological processes, such as runoff, infiltration, and groundwater migration, profoundly influence the migration and transformation of PTEs through biogeochemical cycling. These hydrological processes were controlled by multiple factors, including vegetation cover and land uses. This study investigates sources, spatial patterns, and migration mechanisms of mercury (Hg), thallium (Tl), and arsenic (As) in rainfall-runoff and groundwater migration processes in Lanmuchang catchment, a typical karst region in southwest China.