Abstract
This research focuses on the health risks caused by heavy metal (HM) environmental pollution. Soil, water, corn, rice, and patients’ hair samples from Daping Village, Yunnan Province, China, were analyzed for seven selected HMs. Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution indexes (PI), and the Nemerow integrated pollution index (PN) were used to evaluate pollution levels. We employed principal component analysis (PCA), correlation analysis (CA), and spatial distribution to identify the source and distribution characteristics of HMs in soil. Health risks of HMs and exposure pathways were accessed by calculating the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI). The Igeo, PI, and PN results show that cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) pollution is severe in soil, while other pollution is relatively little. PCA, CA, and spatial distribution show that HMs may be derived from black shale weathering and enrichment. Residents’ drinking water is relatively safe. Arsenic is the element most threatening to local residents (HI = 3.8). Soil (HI = 3.55) ingestion and plant (HI = 1.67) ingestion are the primary exposure pathways to HMs. This unusual disease may be caused by children’s relatively low immunity and long-term exposure to As. We must enhance the protection of children and encourage avoiding soil contact as much as possible. Our results highlight the importance of investigating HM pollution from geological sources and blocking potential exposure pathways.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Hongwei Meng and Yan Ren for their assistance in sample collection, as well as volunteers for providing rice samples. We thank the reviewer for the efficient and professional suggestions to improve and strengthen the paper.
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This work was supported by the Yunnan Provincial Government Leading Scientist Program (No. 2015HA024) and Yunnan Provincial Government Senior Talent Program (No. 2010CI111).
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HZ conceived and designed the experiments. DL and YZ performed the experiments. FC, LD, and YZ performed statistical and chemical analyses. DL wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Li, ., Zhang, H., Chang, F. et al. Distribution and health-ecological risk assessment of heavy metals: an endemic disease case study in southwestern China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 4260–4275 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15591-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15591-x