Heavy metal accumulation in soils of a typical mining community: Driving factors and probabilistic health risk assessment

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2023.11.46

Abstract

Abstract:

Understanding the sources of heavy metals in soils and the associated health risks is essential for effective risk management. In this study, taking a typical mining community as an example, the characteristics of soil contamination by heavy metals As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Hg are evaluated using geo-accumulation index (I_geo). The potential sources of heavy metals are analyzed through correlation analysis in combination with positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis. The results are applied to identify the driving factors for heavy metal accumulation in soils by redundancy analysis (RDA) and to quantify the associated health risk using the health risk assessment model. The I_geo results indicated a moderate level of Cd accumulation and low levels of Cu, Pb and Zn accumulation. Four potential sources of heavy metals in the study area were identified based on the PMF model. Combined with correlation analysis and regional pollution characteristics the four sources were clarified—they were Pb-Zn ore extraction and smelting (Cd, Pb), mixed sources (natural sources+copper ore mining and smelting) (Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb), non-ferrous metal smelting emission (Hg), and gold ore mining and smelting (As), with mixed sources being the dominant sources (70.10%). Based on RDA results, the key driving factors for heavy metal accumulation were cation exchange, soil moisture and distance to mines. According to the health risk assessment, heavy metal contamination in soils of the study area posed unacceptable carcinogenic hazards to children (probability of 15.21%), and carcinogenic health risks to adults and non-carcinogenic health risks to children and adults were at an acceptable risk level. Notably As was the main carcinogenic risk factor in the study area, and the 95th percentile risk (1.75E-4) exceeded the acceptable risk threshold (1E-4). The above findings can provide data support for priority control and prevention of heavy metal pollution in soils of the study area.

Key words: mining community, soil heavy metals, source analysis, PMF model, redundancy analysis, probabilistic risk assessment

CLC Number:

X53
X825

DING Xiang, YUAN Bei, DU Ping, LIU Hupeng, ZHANG Yunhui, CHEN Juan. Heavy metal accumulation in soils of a typical mining community: Driving factors and probabilistic health risk assessment[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2024, 31(2): 31-41.

Figures/Tables 12

References 48

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参数性质项		各参数具体特征
名称		暴露频率 (EF)	皮肤黏附系数 (AF)	体重 (BW)	颗粒物释放因子 (PEF)	暴露期 (ED)	土壤颗粒摄入速率 (IngR)	土壤颗粒吸入速率 (InhR)	平均暴露时间 (Atca)	皮肤暴露表面积 (SA)	皮肤吸收因子 (ABF)
单位		d/a	mg/(cm²·d)	kg	m³/kg	a	mg/d	m³/d	d	m²
分布		三角	对数正态	正态	单点	均匀	三角	对数正态	单点	单点	单点
取值	成人	TRI (180, 345, 365)	LN (0.49, 0.54)	N (57.03, 1.18)	1.36E+09	UN (0, 24)	TRI (4, 30, 52)	LN (16.57, 4.05)	2 190	0.49	0.001
取值	儿童	TRI (180, 345, 365)	LN (0.65, 1.20)	N (16.68, 1.48)	1.36E+09	UN (0, 6)	TRI (66, 103, 161)	LN (7.19, 1.62)	9 125	0.23	0.001
数据来源文献		[22]	[22]	[23]	[23]	[24]	[25]	[25]	[25]	[26]	[26]

参数性质项		各参数具体特征
名称		暴露频率 (EF)	皮肤黏附系数 (AF)	体重 (BW)	颗粒物释放因子 (PEF)	暴露期 (ED)	土壤颗粒摄入速率 (IngR)	土壤颗粒吸入速率 (InhR)	平均暴露时间 (Atca)	皮肤暴露表面积 (SA)	皮肤吸收因子 (ABF)
单位		d/a	mg/(cm²·d)	kg	m³/kg	a	mg/d	m³/d	d	m²
分布		三角	对数正态	正态	单点	均匀	三角	对数正态	单点	单点	单点
取值	成人	TRI (180, 345, 365)	LN (0.49, 0.54)	N (57.03, 1.18)	1.36E+09	UN (0, 24)	TRI (4, 30, 52)	LN (16.57, 4.05)	2 190	0.49	0.001
取值	儿童	TRI (180, 345, 365)	LN (0.65, 1.20)	N (16.68, 1.48)	1.36E+09	UN (0, 6)	TRI (66, 103, 161)	LN (7.19, 1.62)	9 125	0.23	0.001
数据来源文献		[22]	[22]	[23]	[23]	[24]	[25]	[25]	[25]	[26]	[26]

重金属元素	RfD/(mg·kg^-1·d^-1)			SF/(kg·d·mg^-1)
	RfD_ing	RfD_der	RfD_inh	SF_ing	SF_der	SF_inh
As	3.00×10^-4	1.23×10^-4	3.01×10^-4	1.50×10⁰	3.66×10⁰	1.51×10¹
Cd	1.00×10^-3	1.00×10^-5	1.00×10^-5	5.01×10^-1	2.00×10¹	6.30×10⁰
Cr	3.00×10^-3	1.23×10^-4	2.86×10^-5	8.50×10^-3		4.20×10¹
Cu	4.00×10^-2	1.20×10^-2	4.02×10^-2
Ni	2.00×10^-2	5.40×10^-3	2.06×10^-2			8.4×10^-1
Pb	3.50×10^-3	5.25×10^-4	3.52×10^-3	8.50×10^-3
Zn	3.00×10^-1	6.00×10^-2	6.00×10^-2
Hg	3.00×10^-4	2.10×10^-5	8.57×10^-5

重金属元素	RfD/(mg·kg^-1·d^-1)			SF/(kg·d·mg^-1)
	RfD_ing	RfD_der	RfD_inh	SF_ing	SF_der	SF_inh
As	3.00×10^-4	1.23×10^-4	3.01×10^-4	1.50×10⁰	3.66×10⁰	1.51×10¹
Cd	1.00×10^-3	1.00×10^-5	1.00×10^-5	5.01×10^-1	2.00×10¹	6.30×10⁰
Cr	3.00×10^-3	1.23×10^-4	2.86×10^-5	8.50×10^-3		4.20×10¹
Cu	4.00×10^-2	1.20×10^-2	4.02×10^-2
Ni	2.00×10^-2	5.40×10^-3	2.06×10^-2			8.4×10^-1
Pb	3.50×10^-3	5.25×10^-4	3.52×10^-3	8.50×10^-3
Zn	3.00×10^-1	6.00×10^-2	6.00×10^-2
Hg	3.00×10^-4	2.10×10^-5	8.57×10^-5

重金属元素	土壤各重金属元素含量间的相关系数
重金属元素	As	Cd	Cr	Cu	Ni	Pb	Zn	Hg
As	1	0.465^***	0.416^***	0.597^***	0.354^***	0.395^***	0.338^***	0.210^***
Cd		1	0.196^**	0.446^***	0.415^*	0.612^***	0.407^***	0.244^***
Cr			1	0.604^***	0.913^***	0.065	0.307^***	0.192^**
Cu				1	0.621^***	0.407^***	0.584^***	0.258^***
Ni					1	0.020	0.411^***	0.135^*
Pb						1	0.318^***	0.242^***
Zn							1	0.287^***
Hg								1