Epidemiological Study on Metal Pollution of Ningbo in China

Abstract

Background: In order to search for effective control and prevention measures, the status of metal pollution in Ningbo, China was investigated. Methods: Nine of the most common contaminating metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg) in samples of vegetables, rice, soil, irrigation water, and human hair were detected using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Three different districts including industrial, suburban and rural areas in Ningbo were studied through a stratified random sample method. Results: (1) Among all of the detected vegetable samples, Cd exceeded the standard limit rates in industrial, suburban and rural areas as high as 43.9%, 27.5% and 5.0%, respectively; indicating the severity of Cd pollution in Ningbo. (2) The pollution index (PI) of Cd and Zn in soil (1.069, 1.584, respectively) suggests that soil is slightly polluted by Cd and Zn. Among all samples, metal contamination levels in soil were all relatively high. (3) A positive correlation was found between the concentrations of Pb, Cd and Cu in vegetables and soil; Pb, Cu, Cr and Ni in vegetables and irrigation water, as well as, Cu and Ni in rice and irrigation water; and, (4) Higher Pb and Cd concentrations were found in student scalp hair in both industrial and suburban areas compared to rural areas. (5) Hg and Pb that are found in human scalp hair may be more easily absorbed from food than any of the other metals. Conclusions: In general, certain harmful metal pollutions were detected in both industrial and suburban areas of Ningbo in China.

The lead and cadmium content in rice and risk to human health in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Of the 30 studies, four were excluded for the meta-analysis of Pb because concentrations were below the limit of detection in three studies [ 7 , 38 , 39 ], while the SD of concentrations in a fourth study [ 40 ] was 0.000. In the remaining studies, the pooled concentration of Pb (mg/kg) across several major rice-producing areas in China was 0.10 (95% CI 0.08–0.11; I 2 = 99.9%, P < 0.001; Fig 2 ).…”

Livability Assessment of Urban Communities considering the Preferences of Different Age Groups

“…e landscape in Ningbo is mostly flat with few hills, located on the alluvial plain in the Yangtze River Delta region. ese advantages of climate and terrain make Ningbo one of the most livable cities in China [28,34,35]. In the past several decades, Ningbo has experienced rapid industrialization and urbanization processes with great urban sprawl.…”

Chromium Contamination and Health Risk Assessment of Soil and Agricultural Products in a Rural Area in Southern China

“…Heavy metal pollution in the soil directly affected the growth quality of crops. According to the National Soil Pollution Survey Bulletin in 2014, the total over-standard rate of soil was 16.1%, and the over-standard rate of Cr in soil was 1.1% in China, among which slight Cr pollution accounted for a large proportion; the amount of soil contaminated by Cr was up to 15 million tons nationwide [ 4 , 5 ]. Cr pollution also varied across China.…”