Abstract: Accumulation of heavy metals in soils of vegetable fields poses a potential risk to vegetable production,which is related to availability of the heavy metals in the soil.A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate relationships between uptake of the heavy metals by vegetable（Chinese cabbage） and concentrations of the soil available heavy metals that could be extracted by five different methods.Results show that contents of the extractable heavy metals determined with the chemical method could be used more effectively to predict uptake of heavy metals by the vegetables.Solutions of 0.01(mol·L^-1) CaCl₂ and 1 mol·L^-1 NH₄OAc are the most efficient extractants that can be used in predicting heavy metal concentrations in vegetables.If pH value of the soil is also taken into account,prediction of uptake of heavy metals by Chinese cabbage would be more efficient.

Key words: vegetable field, soil, heavy metal, bio-availability, evaluation