High-fluoride (F-) deep groundwater in the vicinity of mining areas poses severe ecological risks. In this study, we aimed to characterize and reveal the seasonal distribution and influencing factors of elevated F- concentrations in the deep groundwater in the Shendong mining area, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia province, China. In addition, the ecological risks associated with F- concentrations in irrigation water were assessed. During the wet and dry seasons, the F- concentrations in mine water samples ranged between 0.12 and 13.92 mg/L (mean: 4.24 mg/L) and between 0.20 and 17.58 mg/L (mean: 4.59 mg/L), respectively. The F- content of mine water was clearly higher during the dry season than that during the wet season. F- concentrations in deep groundwater exhibited consistent spatial distributions during both the dry and wet seasons, with an evident increase from southeast to northwest. The dissolution and precipitation of F--bearing and calcium minerals, cation exchange, competitive adsorption, evaporation, and anthropogenic activities during both the wet and dry seasons were identified as important factors influencing F- concentrations in deep groundwater. In addition, the ecological assessment revealed that 100% and 88.89% of low-F- deep groundwater samples were suitable for practices during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. In contrast 84.00% and 84.62% of high-F- deep groundwater samples were unsuitable for irrigation practices during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. This research provided useful prevention policies of deep groundwater extraction to mitigate environment problems associated with excessive F- irrigation.
To date, few systematic studies of the spatial distribution, formation mechanism, and health risks of high-fluoride (F−) shallow groundwater in humid and semi-humid areas of the Xikuangshan antimony mine, Hunan Province, China. In this study, during March and April 2022, a total of 39 shallow groundwater samples were collected and analyzed using factor analysis, principal component analysis, and health risk assessment. F− concentrations in the shallow groundwater were found to range from 0.08 to 15.00 mg/L (mean: 1.21 mg/L), with 25.64% of the samples having F− concentrations higher than in the Chinese national standard for drinking water (1.00 mg/L). Principal component analysis revealed that the main source of F− in the shallow groundwater samples is cation exchange, accounting for 73.40%, followed by the dissolution and precipitation of F-bearing minerals (15.10%), and human influence (11.50%). Among different age groups, children had the highest percentage of individuals (36.38%) with an F− intake above the health risk quotient safety limit, followed by adult males (23.12%), teenagers (22.21%), and infants (21.22%). The findings of this study will contribute to devising strategies for the provision of safe drinking water and management of the geological environment.
Underground reservoirs have been widely used to facilitate mine water storage in the Shendong mining area. Unfortunately, problems with suspended matter and soluble pollutants in underground reservoir water have occurred. However, as indicators of the mine water environment, the spectroscopic characteristics, geochemical sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM), and influence on the hydrochemistry of mine water remain unclear. In this study, DOM concentration was revealed in the mine water of Shendong mining area, ranging from 0.12 mg/L to 4.90 mg/L, with a mean value of 0.93 mg/L. EEM-PARAFAC models and spectral parameter analysis identified autochthonous components and terrestrial substances that dominated shallow and deep mine water DOM, respectively. Compared with shallow mine water, DOM had lower degrees of humification and more freshly terrestrial substances with higher biological index (BIX), and humification index (HIX), lower E2/E3 ratio, and a254 values in deep mine water owing to emulsion oil leakage. The DOM spectral parameters were helpful in conveniently monitoring the change in mine water quality (total dissolved solids (TDS) and total nitrogen (TN)) by significant correlation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.