Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Human Health Risk Assessment of Contaminants in Drinking Water Based on Triangular Fuzzy Numbers Approach in Yinchuan City, Northwest China

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Exposure and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water is one of the fundamental human rights and an important component of healthy life. In this paper, the triangular fuzzy numbers approach has been used for recognizing uncertainties in the estimation of health risks proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Yinchuan city, northwest China. The levels of As, Cd, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Hg, Pb, F, NO3-N, and NH4-N in drinking water were within the permissible limits except for Fe. The results showed that the health risks were primarily attributed by Cr, As, and F in drinking water. When the confidence level was 0.8, the total carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks values were less than the acceptable risk levels (10−4 and 1.0) set by the USEPA, respectively. The health risk of drinking water in Yinchuan city is as follows: Nanjiao water source > Beijiao water source > Dongjiao water source. Furthermore, the total noncarcinogenic risks were more sensitive with respect to different confidence levels. The spatial distribution of As and F levels in drinking water sources is urgently needed to be ascertained in drinking water, especially for Nanjiao water source. The health risk assessment model based on the triangular fuzzy numbers approach is effective to quantify uncertainty in risks with less complexity. The findings in this paper will help managers minimize the potential health risks and provide a new insight for solving uncertainties in water management.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahn JS (2012) Geochemical occurrences of arsenic and fluoride in bedrock groundwater: a case study in Geumsan County, Korea. Environ Geochem Health 34:43–54. doi:10.1007/s10653-011-9411-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arunraj NS, Mandal S, Maiti J (2013) Modeling uncertainty in risk assessment: an integrated approach with fuzzy set theory and Monte Carlo simulation. Accid Anal Prev 55:242–255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Belkhiri L, Narany TS (2015) Using multivariate statistical analysis, geostatistical techniques and structural equation modeling to identify spatial variability of groundwater quality. Water Resour Manag 29(6):2073–2089. doi:10.1007/s11269-015-0929-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bortey-Sam N, Nakayama SMM, Ikenaka Y, Akoto O, Baidoo E, Mizukawa H, Ishizuka M (2015) Health risk assessment of heavy metals and metalloid in drinking water from communities near gold mines in Tarkwa, Ghana. Environ Monit Assess 187:389. doi:10.1007/s10661-015-4630-3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision of China (1993) National standard of the People’s Republic of China: quality standard for groundwater, GB/T 14848–93 (in Chinese)

  • Chen J, Wu H, Qian H (2016a) Groundwater nitrate contamination and associated health risk for the rural communities in an agricultural area of Ningxia, northwest China. Expo Health. doi:10.1007/s12403-016-0208-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Wu H, Qian H, Gao Y (2016b) Challenges and prospects of sustainable groundwater management in an arid region along the Silk Road economic belt, northwest China. Int J Water Resour Dev. doi:10.1080/07900627.2016.1238348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Wu H, Qian H, Gao Y (2017a) Assessing nitrate and fluoride contaminants in drinking water and their health risk of rural residents living in a semiarid region of Northwest China. Expo Health. doi:10.1007/s12403-016-0231-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Qian H, Wu H (2017b) Nitrogen contamination in groundwater in an agricultural region along the New Silk Road, northwest China: distribution and factors controlling its fate. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24(15):13154–13167. doi:10.1007/s11356-017-8881-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Qian H, Wu H, Gao Y, Li X (2017c) Assessment of arsenic and fluoride pollution in groundwater in Dawukou area, Northwest China, and the associated health risk for inhabitants. Environ Earth Sci. doi:10.1007/s12665-017-6629-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dragon K (2012) Groundwater nitrate pollution in the recharge zone of a regional Quaternary flow system (Wielkopolska region, Poland). Environ Earth Sci 68:2099–2109. doi:10.1007/s12665-012-1895-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dubois D, Prade H (1978) Operations on fuzzy numbers. Int J Syst Sci 9(6):613–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dutta P, Boruah H, Ali T (2011) Fuzzy arithmetic with and without using a-cut method: a comparative study. Int J Latest Trends Comput 2(1):99–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Fogden J (2009) Access to safe drinking water and its impact on global economic growth. HaloSource Inc., London

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao S, Zhang Z (2009) Multiplication operation on fuzzy numbers. J Softw 4(4):331–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner MJ, Altman DG (1986) Confidence intervals rather than P values: estimation rather than hypothesis testing. Br Med J 292:746–750. doi:10.1136/bmj.292.6522.746

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Geng M, Qi H, Liu X, Gao B, Yang Z, Lu W, Sun R (2016) Occurrence and health risk assessment of selected metals in drinking water from two typical remote areas in China. Environ Sci Pollut R 23(9):8462–8469. doi:10.1007/s11356-015-6021-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han S, Zhang F, Zhang H, An Y, Wang Y, Wu X, Wang C (2013) Spatial and temporal patterns of groundwater arsenic in shallow and deep groundwater of Yinchuan Plain, China. J Geochem Explor 135:71–78. doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.11.005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter PR, Fewtrell L (2001) Acceptable risk. In: Fetrell L, Bartram J (eds) Water quality: guidelines, standards and health. IWA Publishing, London, pp 207–227

    Google Scholar 

  • IARC (1993) Cadmium and cadmium compounds, beryllium, cadmium, mercury and exposure in the glass manufacturing industry. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks-Hum 58:119–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Jadhav SV, Bringas E, Yadav GD, Rathod VK, Oritz I, Marathe KV (2015) Arsenic and fluoride contaminated groundwaters: a review of current technologies for contaminants removal. J Environ Manag 162:306–325. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.07.020

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin J, Wei Y, Zou L, Liu L, Fu J (2012) Risk evaluation of China’s natural disaster systems: an approach based on triangular fuzzy numbers and stochastic simulation. Nat Hazards 62(1):306–325. doi:10.1007/s11069-011-0005-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan S, Shahnaz M, Jehan N, Rehman S, Shah MT, Din I (2013) Drinking water quality and human health risk in Charsadda district, Pakistan. J Clean Prod 60:93–101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Huang G, Zeng G, Maqsood I, Huang Y (2007) An integrated fuzzy-stochastic modeling approach for risk assessment of groundwater contamination. J Environ Manag 82:173–188. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2005.12.018

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Wu J, Qian H, Lyu X, Liu H (2014) Origin and assessment of groundwater pollution and associated health risk: a case study in an industrial park, northwest China. Environ Geochem Health 36(4):693–712. doi:10.1007/s10653-013-9590-3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Qian H, Howard KWF, Wu J (2015) Building a new and sustainable Silk Road economic belt. Environ Earth Sci 74(10):7267–7270. doi:10.1007/s12665-015-4739-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Wu J, Qian H (2016a) Hydrochemical appraisal of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes and the major influencing factors: a case study in and around Hua County, China. Arab J Geosci 9(1):15. doi:10.1007/s12517-015-2059-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Li X, Meng X, Li M, Zhang Y (2016b) Appraising groundwater quality and health risks from contamination in a semiarid region of northwest China. Expo Health 8(3):361–379. doi:10.1007/s12403-016-0205-y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Zhang Z, Fei Y, Chen H, Qian Y, Dun Y (2016c) Investigation of quality and pollution characteristics of groundwater in the Hutuo River alluvial plain, North China Plain. Environ Earth Sci 75:581. doi:10.1007/s12665-016-5366-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Tian R, Xue C, Wu J (2017a) Progress, opportunities and key fields for groundwater quality research under the impacts of human activities in China with a special focus on western China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24(15):13224–13234. doi:10.1007/s11356-017-8753-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Qian H, Zhou W (2017b) Finding harmony between the environment and humanity: an introduction to the thematic issue of the Silk Road. Environ Earth Sci 76(3):105. doi:10.1007/s12665-017-6428-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Water Resources of PRC (1997) Technical regulation of water quality sampling (SL 187–96). Standards Press of China, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nawab J, Khan S, Ali S, Sher H, Rahman Z, Khan K, Tang J, Ahmad A (2016) Health risk assessment of heavy metals and bacterial contamination in drinking water sources: a case study of Malakand Agency, Pakistan. Environ Monit Assess 188:286. doi:10.1007/s10661-016-5296-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ningxia statistical Bureau (2013) Ningxia statistical yearbook. China Statistics Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2014) Reduction–oxidation (redox) control in Ohio’s ground water quality. J Environ Manag 139:97–108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qian H, Li P, Howard KWF, Yang C, Zhang X (2012) Assessment of groundwater vulnerability in the Yinchuan plain, northwest China using OREADIC. Environ Monit Assess 184(6):3613–3628. doi:10.1007/s10661-011-2211-7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radloff KA, Zheng Y, Michael HA, Stute M, Bostick BC, Mihajlov I, Bounds M, Huq MR, Choudhury I, Rahman MW, Schlosser P, Ahmed KM, Geen A (2011) Arsenic migration to deep groundwater in Bangladesh influenced by adsorption and water demand. Nat Geosci 4(11):793–798. doi:10.1038/ngeo1283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rango T, Kravchenko J, Atlaw B, McCornic PG, Jeuland M, Merola B, Vengosh A (2012) Groundwater quality and its health impact: an assessment of dental fluorosis in rural inhabitants of the Main Ethiopian Rift. Environ Int 43:37–47. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2012.03.002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rathnayaka K, Malano H, Arora M (2016) Assessment of sustainability of urban water supply and demand management options: a comprehensive approach. Water 8(12):595. doi:10.3390/w8120595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmoll O, Howard G, Chilton J, Chorus I (2006) Protecting Groundwater for health. IWA publishing, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith AH, Lingas EO, Rahman M (2000) Contamination of drinking water by arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency. Bull World Health Organ 78(9):1093–1103

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suthar S, Bishnoi P, Singh S, Mutiyar PK, Nema AK, Patil NS (2009) Nitrate contamination in groundwater of some rural areas of Rajasthan, India. J Hazard Mater 171:189–199. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.05.111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tchounwou PB, Yedjou CG, Patloll AK, Sutton DJ (2012) Heavy metals toxicity and the environment. EXS 101:133–164. doi:10.1007/978-3-7643-8340-4_6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations (1977) Report of the United Nations water conference. United Nations Publications, New York, Mar del Plara

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (1989) Risk assessment guidance for superfund, vol I., Human health evaluation manual (Part A). Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, Washington, DC

  • USEPA (2012) Integrated risk information system. United States Environmental Protection Agency. http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/index.cfm?fuseactioniris.showSubstanceList. Accessed 3 May 2012

  • Wang L, Hu F, Yin L (2013) Hydrochemical and isotopic study of groundwater in the Yinchuan plain, China. Environ Earth Sci 69(6):2037–2057. doi:10.1007/s12665-012-2040-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang H, Lu X, Du Y, Zhang C, Sadiq R, Deng Y (2014) Fault tree analysis based on TOPSIS and triangular fuzzy number. Int J Syst Assur Eng Manag. doi:10.1007/s13198-014-0323-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wen D, Zhang F, Zhang E, Wang C, Han S, Zheng Y (2013) Arsenic, fluoride and iodine in groundwater of China. J Geochem Explor 135:1–21. doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2013.10.012

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (1996) Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 2nd edn, vol 2. Health criteria and other supporting information. World Health Organization, Geneva

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2011) Guidelines for drinking water quality, vol 4

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2015) The United Nations world water assessment program report 2015: water for a sustainable world. United Nations Educational, Scientifc and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang X, Ding J, Hou H (2013) Application of a triangular fuzzy AHP approach for flood risk evaluation and response measures analysis. Nat Hazards 68(2):657–674. doi:10.1007/s11069-013-0642-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zadeh LA (1965) Fuzzy set. Inf Control 8(3):338–353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y, Ayotte JD (2015) At the crossroads: hazard assessment and reduction of health risks from arsenic in private well waters of Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada. Sci Total Environ 505:1237–1247. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.10.089

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, Wei A, Li J, Yan L, Li J (2017) Groundwater quality evaluation and health risk assessment in the Yinchuan region, northwest China. Expo Health 8(3):443–456. doi:10.1007//12403-016-0219-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41572236 and 41172212), the Doctoral Postgraduate Technical Project of Chang’an University (2014G5290005), and the Foundation for the Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of Chang’an University (310829150002 and 310829165005). Anonymous reviewers are sincerely acknowledged for their valuable comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

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

    Jie Chen, Hui Qian, Yanyan Gao & Xinyan Li

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

    Jie Chen, Hui Qian, Yanyan Gao & Xinyan Li

Authors
  1. Jie Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hui Qian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yanyan Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xinyan Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jie Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, J., Qian, H., Gao, Y. et al. Human Health Risk Assessment of Contaminants in Drinking Water Based on Triangular Fuzzy Numbers Approach in Yinchuan City, Northwest China. Expo Health 10, 155–166 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-017-0252-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-017-0252-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation