Health risk assessment of heavy metal pollution in groundwater of a karst basin, SW China

Fu-ning Lan; Yi Zhao; Jun Li; Xiu-qun Zhu

doi:10.26599/JGSE.2024.9280005

Volume 12 Issue 1

Mar. 2024

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Article Navigation > Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering > 2024 > 12(1): 49-61

Lan FN, Zhao Y, Li J, et al. 2024. Health risk assessment of heavy metal pollution in groundwater of a karst basin, SW China. Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering, 12(1): 49-61 doi: 10.26599/JGSE.2024.9280005

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Health risk assessment of heavy metal pollution in groundwater of a karst basin, SW China

doi: 10.26599/JGSE.2024.9280005

Fu-ning Lan^{1, 2},
Yi Zhao^{1, 2},
Jun Li^{3
,
,},
Xiu-qun Zhu⁴

1.
Karst Ecosystem, National Observation and Research Station, Pingguo 531406, Guangxi, China
2.
Institute of Karst Geology, International Research Centre on Karst, Under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guangxi Karst Resources and Environment Research Center of Engineering Technology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Karst Dynamics Laboratory, MNR and Guangxi, Guilin 541004, China
3.
Hebei Key Laboratory of Water Quality Engineering and Comprehensive Utilization of Water Resources, Hebei University of Architecture, Zhangjiakou 075000, Hebei Province, China
4.
College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

More Information

Corresponding author: lipshydro@163.com
Received Date: 2023-09-26
Accepted Date: 2023-12-18

Available Online: 2024-03-15

Publish Date: 2024-03-15

Abstract

Abstract

To investigate the presence of metal elements and assess their health risk for the populace in the Nandong Underground River Basin (NURB), we conducted an analysis of eleven common heavy metals in the water body. A Health risk assessment (HRA) model was employed to analyze 84 water samples from the NURB. The detection results revealed the following order of heavy metals concentrations: Fe > Al > Mn > Zn > As > Cd > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cu > Hg. Correlation analysis indicated a certain similarity in material source and migration transformation among these eleven metal elements. Our study identified that the health risks for local residents exposed to metal elements in the water of NURB primarily stem from carcinogenic risk (10⁻⁶–10⁻⁴ a⁻¹) through the drinking water pathway. Moreover, the health risk of heavy metal exposure for children through drinking water was notably higher than for adults. The maximum health risks of Cr in both underground and surface water exceeded the recommendation standard (5.0×10⁻⁵ a⁻¹) from ICRP, surpassing the values recommended by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Dutch Ministry of Construction and Environment and the British Royal Society (5.0×10⁻⁶ a⁻¹). The results of the health risk assessment indicate that Cr in the water of NURB is the primary source of carcinogenic risk for local residents, followed by Cd and As. Consequently, it is imperative to control these three carcinogenic metals when the water was used as drinking water resource.
- Water Pollution,
- Correlation Analysis,
- Toxicity of Heavy Metal Elements,
- Underground River Basin,
- Carcinogenicity Potential

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References(32)

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