Abstract:In this paper, taking agricultural surface soil in the northern part of Linshu county in southeastern Shandong province as the research object, the content and distribution characteristics of 8 heavy metal elements in the soil have been analyzed, and the ecological risk of heavy metal in the agricultural soil in the study area have been evaluated by using land accumulation index method and the potential ecological risk index method. As showed by the results, among 8 heavy metals, except for Pb element, which is slightly higher than the background value of the surface soil in Linyi city, the remaining 7 elements are all lower than the background value. The overall accumulation of metals in the surface soil of the study area is relatively light, and the order of heavy metal accumulation in the soil from strong to weak is Hg>As>Zn>Cd>Cu>Ni>Cr>Pb. 0.30% of the samples with Hg element belong to the level of moderate accumulation or above, making them the most severely accumulated elements. There may be a certain degree of severe pollution locally. The single factor potential ecological risk of five elements, such as Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn is relatively small. Hg and Cd are the two elements with the most severe degree of harm in the single factor potential ecological risk assessment. The comprehensive potential ecological risk index shows that 72 samples have reached a moderate risk level or above, which is mainly influenced by the two elements Hg and Cd. The research results can provide important scientific basis for the safety management of agricultural product production areas and sustainable agricultural development in the region.