Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Groundwater of Hainan Island Using the Monte Carlo Simulation Coupled with the APCS/MLR Model

Abstract

Groundwater is a significant component of water resources, but drinking groundwater with excessive heavy metals (HMs) is harmful to human health. Currently, quantitative source apportionment and probabilistic health risk assessment of HMs in groundwater are relatively limited. In this study, 60 groundwater samples containing seven HMs were collected from Hainan Island and analyzed by the coupled absolute principal component scores/multiple linear regression (APCS/MLR), the health risk assessment (HRA) and the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) to quantify the pollution sources of HMs and the health risks. The results show that the high-pollution-value areas of HMs are mainly located in the industry-oriented western region, but the pollution level by HMs in the groundwater in the study area is generally low. The main sources of HMs in the groundwater are found to be the mixed sources of agricultural activities and traffic emissions (39.16%), industrial activities (25.57%) and natural sources (35.27%). Although the non-carcinogenic risks for adults and children are negligible, the carcinogenic risks are at a high level. Through analyzing the relationship between HMs, pollution sources, and health risks, natural sources contribute the most to the health risks, and Cr is determined as the priority control HM. This study emphasizes the importance of quantitative evaluation of the HM pollution sources and probabilistic health risk assessment, which provides an essential basis for water pollution prevention and control in Hainan Island.

Spatial Distribution, Risk Assessment and Sources of Heavy Metals in Roadside Soils Exposed to the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Intercity Railway in Huanghuai Plain, China

“…The APCS-MLR model has been employed to quantify the contributions of different pollution sources of heavy metals in soils, sediment, groundwater and dust 13,14,31 . The APCS-MLR model, which is a reverse traceability method, was developed from the traditional PCA method 7 .…”

“…Multivariate statistical methods and geostatistical analysis techniques, such as correlation analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), positive matrix factorization (PMF), and absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR), have been applied to identify and quantify the source contributions of heavy metals in soil 1,7,11,13,14 . According to previous reports, natural sources mainly allocated to soil parent materials, whereas industrial activities, and agricultural and traffic activities were the predominant anthropogenic enrichment factors of heavy metals in soil 1,7,13,15 . Among these sources, transportation has become one of the most important causes of heavy metals in soils for the needs of conveyances [16][17][18] .…”

Potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metals associated with abattoir liquid waste: A narrative and systematic review

“…Heavy metals enter the human system through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption. However, according to Shi et al [ 35 ], ingestion and dermal contact are the most common routes for these metals in water and, by extension, abattoir liquid waste. For instance, heavy metals may be introduced into the human system by ingesting partially treated municipal water supply from water sources polluted by untreated abattoir liquid waste.…”

Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of soil heavy metals in a typical volcanic area: Influence of parent materials

“…Ecological risk assessment shows that there is a moderate to strong ecological risk of Hg in agricultural land of Qiongzhong located in central Hainan which is a relatively backward city [ 6 ]. In the industry-oriented western region, even groundwater is undergoing generally low pollution level by heavy metals [ 7 ]. Thus, to protect the environment of Hainan, further investigations on heavy metal pollution of agricultural land are required, and appropriate plans should be developed.…”