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Heavy metals in deep groundwater within coal mining area, northern Anhui province, China: concentration, relationship, and source apportionment

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Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) in deep groundwater from coal mining area, including cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni). The samples were collected from different aquifers in four coal mines of northern Anhui province, China, which were unconsolidated formation (UF), coal measure aquifer (CA), Taiyuan limestone aquifer (TA), and Ordovician limestone aquifer (OA), respectively. HM concentrations from the four different sources were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometer, and were found in the order of Zn>Ni>Pb>Cu>Cd>Cr (in UF), Ni>Zn>Pb>Cu>Cr>Cd (in CA), Ni>Zn>Pb>Cu>Cd>Cr (in TA), and Zn>Ni>Pb>Cu>Cr>Cd (in OA), respectively. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Cr were found within the quality guidelines set by Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision of China (GB/T 14848-93) and World Health Organization, while the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Ni were higher than their respective permissible limits. The enhanced concentrations of Ni, together with Cr, were considered to be affected by anthropogenic sources, since they both had high variable coefficient. Moreover, the inter-dependence of HMs and their pollution sources were further discussed using statistical techniques, including one-factor analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and principle component analysis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by State Natural Science Fund Projects (41373095, 41173106), the Project for Outstanding Young Talent of Suzhou University (2013XQRL05), the Foundation for Suzhou Regional Development Cooperation and Creatively Center (2013szxtcx001), the Program for Innovative Research Team of Suzhou University (2013kytd01), and the Talents Project of Suzhou University (2014LJ01) together. The authors thank Prof. Zhang from Zhongshan University for his help in the technical guidance and English revision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Suzhou University, NO.49 Bianhe Middle Road, Yongqiao District, Suzhou, Anhui, 234000, China

    Manli Lin & Herong Gui

  2. National Engineering Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Coal Mine Water Hazards, Suzhou, Anhui, 234000, China

    Manli Lin & Herong Gui

  3. School of Chemistry and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Weihua Peng

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  1. Manli Lin
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  2. Weihua Peng
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Correspondence to Herong Gui.

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Lin, M., Peng, W. & Gui, H. Heavy metals in deep groundwater within coal mining area, northern Anhui province, China: concentration, relationship, and source apportionment. Arab J Geosci 9, 319 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2354-5

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