Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2025, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (4): 331-341.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2025.4.15

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Geochemical characteristics of Cadmium and their impact on population health in the typical black rock series high geochemical background area, northwestern Zhejiang Province, China

LIU Jiuchen(), LIU Dawen, GAI Nan, LU Guohui, JIA Wenbin, LIU Siwen, GUAN Ziqian, TANG Qifeng*()   

  1. Key Laboratory of Eco-geochemistry, Ministry of Natural Resources of China, National Research Center for Geo-analysis (NRCGA), Beijing 100037, China
  • Received:2025-01-05 Revised:2025-03-07 Online:2025-07-25 Published:2025-08-04

Abstract:

This study conducted a GeoHealth survey in Shangshu Township, Anji County-a representative high geochemical background region characterized by the distribution of the black rock series in northwestern Zhejiang Province-with a focused investigation of the geochemical behavior of cadmium (Cd) and its potential impact on local population health. Results indicate that, according to the Soil Environmental Quality-Risk Control Standards for Soil Pollution in Agricultural Land (GB 15618-2018), cadmium concentrations in over 30% of the surface soils significantly exceed the regulatory thresholds. Elevated levels are primarily concentrated in the central and northern regions of the township, exhibiting strong spatial concordance with the distribution of the black rock series. Vertical profiling reveals a distinct surface accumulation of cadmium, suggesting that the geochemical conditions of the upper soil horizon promote Cd enrichment, thereby increasing the likelihood of regulatory exceedance. Sequential extraction analysis indicates that cadmium in agricultural soils exists predominantly in the ion-exchangeable form, followed by humic acid-bound, residual, iron-manganese oxide-bound, carbonate-bound, organic-bound, and water-soluble forms. The dominance of the ion-exchangeable fraction indicates high bioavailability and mobility, implying a substantial potential for environmental migration and biological uptake. Health risk assessments suggest an elevated carcinogenic risk. However, regional epidemiological data-including life expectancy, chronic disease prevalence, and skeletal health indicators, which are comparable to those in low-cadmium background areas, show no significant adverse health outcomes that can be attributed to the naturally elevated cadmium background. These findings highlight the limitations of inferring human health risks solely based on geogenic cadmium concentrations. As cadmium uptake and toxicological effects are influenced by multiple environmental and physiological factors, health risk evaluations in areas with high natural geochemical backgrounds should rely primarily on empirical regional epidemiological health data rather than geochemical levels alone.

Key words: black rock series, high geochemical background, heavy metals, cadmium, GeoHealth, population health

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