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Environmental cadmium pollution and health risk assessment in rice–wheat rotation area around a smelter

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Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) pollution induced by smelting process is of great concern worldwide. However, the comprehensive risk assessment of Cd exposures in smelting areas with farming coexist is lacking. In this study, atmospheric deposition, soil, surface and drinking water, rice, wheat, vegetable, fish, pork, and human hair samples were collected in rice–wheat rotation area near nonferrous smelter to investigate smelting effect on environmental Cd pollution and human health. Results showed high Cd deposition (0.88–2.61 mg m−2 year−1) combined with high bioavailability (37–42% totality) in study area. Moreover, 90%, 83%, 57%, and 3% of sampled soil, wheat, rice, and vegetable of Cd were higher than national allowable limits of China, respectively, indicating smelting induced serious environmental Cd pollution. Especially, higher Cd accumulation occurred in wheat compared to rice by factors of 1.5–2.0. However, as for Cd exposure to local residents, due to rice as staple food, rice intake ranked as main route and accounted for 49–53% of total intake, followed by wheat and vegetable. Cd exposure showed high potential noncarcinogenic risks with hazard quotient (HQ) of 0.63–4.99 using Monte Carlo probabilistic simulation, mainly from crop food consumption (mean 94% totality). Further, residents’ hair Cd was significant correlated with HQ of wheat and rice ingestion, highlighting negative impact of cereal pollution to resident health. Therefore, smelting process should not coexist with cereal cultivating.

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Funding

This research was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (ZR2020QD129), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20220599), and the Jiangsu Provincial Double-Innovation Doctor Program (JSSCBS20211033).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China

    Hailong Liu, Hu Wang, Haotian Wang, Min Li & Xiaozhi Wang

  2. College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People’s Republic of China

    Hailong Liu & Ying Zhang

  3. Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, People’s Republic of China

    Jun Zhou

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  1. Hailong Liu
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  2. Hu Wang
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  3. Jun Zhou
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  6. Min Li
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Contributions

H.L. and M.L. designed this investigation. H.W., H.W., and M.L. were responsible for preparing and collecting the samples, experiment instrument operation, and data analysis. H.L. was responsible for writing paper. J.Z., Y.Z., and X.W. were responsible for modifying and editing of this paper.

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Correspondence to Min Li.

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Liu, H., Wang, H., Zhou, J. et al. Environmental cadmium pollution and health risk assessment in rice–wheat rotation area around a smelter. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 433–444 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31215-y

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