Geochemical Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Germanium-enriched Soils in Nehe City, Heilongjiang Province

BACKGROUND Germanium is an essential element for life. With the discovery of germanium-enriched soils all over China in recent years, the development of germanium-enriched agriculture has gradually gained attention. OBJECTIVES To study the characteristics and range of germanium-enriched soil in typical black soil areas, and to analyze factors affecting soil germanium content. METHODS Germanium content in soil was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). RESULTS The germanium content in the topsoil of the Nehe area was 0.74-1.78mg/kg, with an average value of 1.13mg/kg. There was a large area of concentrated and contiguous germanium-enriched soil in the Nehe area, about 599.8km2, accounting for 9.31% of the city's area. The source of germanium in the soil was the middle Pleistocene upper Huangshan Formation and the upper Pleistocene Guxiangtun Formation. The content of germanium in swamp soil and black soil was highest. CONCLUSIONS The germanium content in the soil is related to the stratum, soil type and human activities. Soybeans have the highest germanium content in the crops. This area has good potential for the development of germanium-enriched agriculture.