Contamination and human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in topsoil and groundwater around mining and dressing factories in Chifeng, North China

International Journal of Coal Science & Technology

Case Study

Yong Zhang¹  Shuai Qi¹  Xu Jia¹  Hanyuan Wang¹  Xiaohui Zhang²  Honglei Liu²  Aoshuang Mei²  Di Zhao²  Yifan Zeng²  Qiang Wu²  Shuai Gao²  Juan Zhang³ 

[1] Geological Survey Academy of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 010000, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China;National Engineering Research Center of Coal Mine Water Hazard Controlling, China University of Mining and Technology, 100083, Beijing, China;China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, 100083, Beijing, China;School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, Beijing, China;

关键词: Heavy metal(loid)s;    Contamination indices;    Ecological risks;    Human health risks;    Chifeng;   

DOI  :  10.1007/s40789-023-00568-7

 received in 2022-07-16, accepted in 2023-01-11,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Chifeng is a concentrated mining area for non-ferrous metal minerals, as well as a key prevention and control area for heavy-duty enterprises. This situation necessitates an effective ecological and human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s driven by the wide distribution of metal ore processing, mining, and smelting factories in Hexigten Banner and Bairin Left Banner. We conducted surveys to assess the levels of heavy metal(loid)s (Cr, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg) in the topsoil and groundwater of the areas. The results indicated that the concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb in partial soil samples exceeded the environmental quality standards of Grade II. Based on contamination assessments, such as geoaccumulation indices and pollution indices, we inferred that Cd, Pb, and As were primary pollutants in topsoil. Potential ecological risks when considered as part of the average risk indices (RI) are up to 1626.40 and 2818.76, respectively, in the two areas. Comparative analysis revealed that Cd posed a very high potential ecological risk, followed by As. Moreover, the evaluation showed that the three exposure pathways of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk followed a descending order: inhalation > ingestion > dermal contact, except for Pb. Arsenic in topsoil posed a potential non-carcinogenic risk to human health, while there were no adverse effects of As in groundwater. In addition, the average total carcinogenic risk for As in the two areas, as well as the risk of Pb in the topsoil of Bairin Left Banner and all the five heavy metal(loid)s in groundwater, exceeded human tolerance. Pb–Zn mines caused higher human health risks. In addition, the tandem contamination of heavy metal(loid)s in soil and groundwater was not obvious. This research study provides a basis for pollution remediation to control heavy industry-induced ecological and health risks of heavy metal(loid)s.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

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