Preliminary Risk Assessment of Trace Metal Pollution in Surface Water from Yangtze River in Nanjing Section, China

From data collected monthly at 26 monitoring cross sections in the Wei River in the Shaanxi Region of China during the period 2008-2012, the temporal pollution characteristics of heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), Pb, and As) were analyzed based on a heavy metal pollution index (HPI). The monthly HPI values of the five heavy metals in the river fluctuated greatly in 2008 and then declined gradually with time. This general trend of reduction in HPI appears not to have a seasonal variation and most likely resulted from the continued improvement in heavy metal pollution control strategies implemented by local environmental agencies combined with a significant improvement in wastewater treatment capacities. Among the five heavy metals, Cd and Pb were below 0.1 and 3 μg L(-1), respectively, at all the sampling points in the studied areas in the year 2012. The detection rates of As, Hg, and Cr(VI) were in the order of Hg > Cr(VI) > As. Hg, Cr(VI), and As exceeded, in a month of the dry season in 2012, the standard limits for category III surface waters according to the China Environment Quality Standards for Surface Water (CEQSSW). Based on the assessment using the HPI method, the pollution status of these heavy metals in water of the Wei River in the Shaanxi Region was generally at an acceptable level, but exhibited distinctive characteristics between the main stream river and tributaries. Most of the tributaries were more seriously polluted than the main river. A health risk assessment was conducted based on the Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) method recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Apart from As, the health risk for the five heavy metals in the region were at acceptable levels for drinking water sources (hazard quotient (HQ) < 1, carcinogenic risk (CR) ranged from 10(-4)-10(-6)) according to the Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS), USEPA. Arsenic was identified as the most important pollutant of concern among the five heavy metals; both its values of the HQ and CR indicated potentially adverse health risks for the local population.

Section: Spatial Distribution Of Hpi In the Wei Riversupporting

confidence: 86%

Heavy metal pollution and health risk assessment in the Wei River in China

Yang

Duan

Wang³

et al. 2015

“…Many large-scale electronic and machinery industries have entered into this region (Xu et al 2009) and plenty of metallic pollutants were probably released into water environments, which potentially contribute to the high level of some metals and constant variation of the concentrations. However, a previous study (Wu et al 2009b) showed that there was no spatial difference among the total concentrations of 19 metals in six sampling sites of Yangtze River at Nanjing Section.…”

Section: Non-carcinogenic Risk Induced By the Metalsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Wu et al (2009b) quantified 19 metals in Yangtze River at Nanjing section and found that Fe was of the highest concentration. In China, about 36% of steel is produced in the Yangtze River Basin, which might contribute to the high level of Fe in the surface water of this region.…”

Section: Concentration Of Metals In Source Watersmentioning

confidence: 98%

Non-carcinogenic risks induced by metals in drinking source water of Jiangsu Province, China

Ning

Xia

et al. 2010

In this study, we investigated the levels of eight metallic elements in source water of 40 tap water treatment plants (TWTPs) located along Yangtze River, Taihu Lake and Huaihe River in the section of Jiangsu Province, China during 2007-2009 and assessed the non-carcinogenic risks induced by the metals. Among the metals, Fe had the highest concentration (121.5 μg L( - 1)) and Pb contributed most (32.4%) to the average hazard index (HI) of 40 TWTPs, followed by Cd (24.7%) and Cr (21.6%). The average concentration of each metal was below the permissible limit of China and USA except for Pb. Both hazard quotients of individual metals and HI of total non-carcinogenic risk in each TWTP were lower than 1.0, suggesting that these pollutants posed negligible hazards to public health of local residents. Temporal and spatial comparisons showed that high HIs occurred more frequently in low water seasons, and the three TWTPs located along Huaihe River (Dongtai, Jinhu and Yishuichang) had relatively higher HIs.

“…Exposure of human being to metals could occur via three main pathways including direct ingestion, inhalation through mouth and nose, and dermal absorption through exposures skin; however, ingestion pathway is the most significant for drinking water (Miguel et al 2007;USEPA 2004;Wu et al 2009). The dose received through the pathway considered was determined using Eq.…”

Section: Risk Assessment On Human Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human health risk assessment via drinking water pathway due to metal contamination in the groundwater of Subarnarekha River Basin, India

Giri

Singh

2015

190

Groundwater samples were collected from 30 sampling sites throughout the Subarnarekha River Basin for source apportionment and risk assessment studies. The concentrations of As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Sr, V and Zn were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results demonstrated that concentrations of the metals showed significant spatial variation with some of the metals like As, Mn, Fe, Cu and Se exceeding the drinking water standards at some locations. Principal component analysis (PCA) outcome of four factors that together explained 84.99 % of the variance with >1 initial eigenvalue indicated that both innate and anthropogenic activities are contributing factors as source of metal in groundwater of Subarnarekha River Basin. Risk of metals on human health was then evaluated using hazard quotients (HQ) and cancer risk by ingestion for adult and child, and it was indicated that Mn was the most important pollutant leading to non-carcinogenic concerns. The carcinogenic risk of As for adult and child was within the acceptable cancer risk value of 1 × 10(-4). The largest contributors to chronic risks were Mn, Co and As. Considering the geometric mean concentration of metals, the hazard index (HI) for adult was above unity. Considering all the locations, the HI varied from 0.18 to 11.34 and 0.15 to 9.71 for adult and child, respectively, suggesting that the metals posed hazard by oral intake considering the drinking water pathway.