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Spatiotemporal Variability of Contaminants in Lake Water and Their Risks to Human Health: A Case Study of the Shahu Lake Tourist Area, Northwest China

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Abstract

Shahu Lake is a well-known tourist lake in Ningxia, northwest China. This study analyzed the general hydrochemical characteristics of the lake water to determine the spatiotemporal variability of contaminants and to assess the potential health risk associated with the surface water. Lake water was monitored at three stations each month throughout 2013. Samples were analyzed for pH, total dissolved solids, temperature, EC, major ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO4 2−, Cl−, HCO3 −, and CO3 2−), ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N), fluoride (F−), phenol, and heavy metals (As, Hg, and Cr6+). The results suggest that Na+ is the dominant cation in the lake water, and Cl− and SO4 2− are the dominant anions, resulting in a primary water type of Cl·SO4–Na. Contaminant levels (NH4-N, F−, As, Hg, Cr6+, and phenol) vary through time and space (spatiotemporal variations). As and F− are high in the summer season; Cr6+ and Hg do not significantly change over the year; and the NH4-N and phenol concentrations also remain relatively stable. Concentrations of all these substances are within the acceptable limits for recreational water use (1.5, 1.5, 0.1, 0.001, 0.05, and 0.01 mg/L for NH4-N, F−, As, Hg, Cr6+, and phenol, respectively). An assessment model recommended by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the P.R. China was used in the study to conduct the health risk assessment. While workers do experience higher non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks than tourists, the risks are low and negligible. As and Cr6+ contribute the most to total carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41502234 and 41602238), the Foundation of Outstanding Young Scholar of Chang’an University (310829153509), the Research Funds for Young Stars in Science and Technology of Shaanxi Province (2016KJXX-29), the General Financial Grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2015M580804 and 2016M590911), the Special Financial Grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2016T090878), the Special Financial Grant from the Shaanxi Postdoctoral Science Foundation, the Innovation Training Program for Undergraduate Students of Chang’an University (201510710072 and 201610710073), the Joint Foundation of Key Laboratory of Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (KF201601), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (310829151072 and 310829161014). Anonymous reviewers and the Editor are sincerely thanked for their useful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Peiyue Li, Wei Feng, Chenyang Xue, Rui Tian & Siting Wang

  2. Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region of the Ministry of Education, Chang’an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Peiyue Li, Wei Feng, Chenyang Xue, Rui Tian & Siting Wang

  3. Key Laboratory of Groundwater Science and Engineering, Ministry of Land and Resources, No. 268 Zhonghua Street, Shijiazhuang, 050061, Hebei, China

    Peiyue Li

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  1. Peiyue Li
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Correspondence to Peiyue Li.

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Li, P., Feng, W., Xue, C. et al. Spatiotemporal Variability of Contaminants in Lake Water and Their Risks to Human Health: A Case Study of the Shahu Lake Tourist Area, Northwest China. Expo Health 9, 213–225 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-016-0237-3

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