Risk assessment due to intake of heavy metals through the ingestion of groundwater around two proposed uranium mining areas in Jharkhand,India

Heavy metal pollution of water resources can be apprehended in East Singhbhum region which is a highly mineralised zone with extensive mining of copper, uranium and other minerals. Ten groundwater samples were collected from each site and the heavy metal analysis was done by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Analysis of the results of the study reveals that the concentration of iron, manganese, zinc, lead, copper and nickel in groundwater of Bagjata mining area ranged 0.06–5.3 mg l^− 1, 0.01–1.3 mg l^− 1, 0.02–8.2 mg l^− 1, 1.4–28.4 μg l^− 1, 0.78–20.0 μg l^− 1 and 1.05–20.1 μg l^− 1, respectively. In case of Banduhurang mining area, the range was 0.04–2.93 mg l^− 1, 0.02–1.1 mg l^− 1, 0.01–4.68 mg l^− 1, 1.04–33.21 μg l^− 1, 1.24–18.7 μg l^− 1 and 1.06–14.58 μg l^− 1, respectively. The heavy metals were found to be below the drinking water standards (IS:10500 1993) except iron (0.3 mg l^− 1) and manganese (0.1 mg l^− 1). The hazard quotients of the heavy metals for drinking water were below 1 posing no threat due to intake of water to the people for both the areas.     

Environmental monitoring of heavy metals and arsenic from Ag-Pb-Zn mining: a case study over two millennia

2000 years of mining activity at Wiesloch, Germanyleft behind a legacy of mining wastes, some of which haveextremely high contents of toxic elements like As, Cd, Tl,Sb, Pb and Zn. To evaluate their long-term impact ondifferent environmental compartments, the detailedenvironmental monitoring presented here focused on themineralogical and chemical characterization of thedifferent waste materials, consisting of dumpings with orefragments, flotation tailings and medieval metallurgicalslags. Leaching experiments with these materials, usingeluents of different compositions and pHs were carried outto assess the conditions governing the mobilization and re-fixation of these species. It was shown, that the carbonatehost rock of the mineralization, the loess blanket coveringthe area and the organically rich municipal sewage sludgesdeposited on top of the tailings, represent potentialbarriers to the dispersion of toxic elements over a muchlarger area. Moreover, particulate emissions from thesteep, unvegetated escarpments of the tailing heapsrepresent a continuous thread to the environment.     

Distribution and chemical partitioning of heavy metals in marine near-shore sediment cores: a case study from the Xugou, Lianyungang, China

The concentrations and chemical partitioning of heavy metals (Co, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, and Pb) in the marine near-shore sediment cores were investigated. Typically, the mean concentrations from Core B sediment samples were 98.6, 21.1, 47.0, 46.4, 107.6, and 31.9 mg kg^???1 for Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb, respectively. The heavy metal concentrations were normalized to commonly used reference elements Al, Li, Sc, and total organic carbon. Based on Pearson coefficients, Li was found to be a good normalizer for Co (r?= 0.974), Cr (r?= 0.967), Ni (r?= 0.898), and Zn (r?= 0.929) in 80 sediment samples from three sampling sites. However, the correlation coefficients between Li and Cu, and Li and Pb were relatively low. Multivariate statistic approaches (Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis) were adopted for data treatment, allowing the identification of two main factors controlling the heavy metal variability in the sediments. Heavy metals in the enrichment sections were evaluated by a sequential extraction method for possible chemical forms in sediments. The results showed that the residual, Fe/Mn oxides and Organic/sulfide fractions were dominant geochemical phases in the enriched sections, indicating low bioavailability of heavy metals in sediments.     

Human health risk assessment of heavy metals in a replaced urban industrial area of Qingdao,China

The aim of this study was risk characterization of a replaced urban industrial land located north of Qingdao, in relation to heavy metals values. Soil concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Zn were analyzed. It was observed that the components of Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Zn are about 2.22, 8.07, 4.70, 6.81, 2.65, and 3.0-folds, respectively, when compared with the local natural background values in Qingdao. The spatial distribution of heavy metals indicated that these hotspots for Cr and Zn located in the southwestern part, Ni and Cd in the middle of the south area, Pb in the northwest, and Cu in the middle of the east area. The values of pollution index and Nemerow integrated pollution index revealed that 100 % of soil samples were moderately or heavily contaminated by six heavy metals. From these results, human health risk assessment for sensitive population was performed according to two different land uses. For non-carcinogenic risk, the direct oral ingestion appeared to be the main exposure pathway followed by dermal and inhalation absorption. The HI values of Pb and Cr characterized for children were larger than 1, while HI values of each metal for adults in two scenarios were lower than 1. Besides, carcinogenic risk from inhalation exposure to Cr for children and adults in two scenarios all exceeded the safety limit.     

Heavy metals in brick kiln located area using atomic absorption spectrophotometer: a case study from the city of Peshawar, Pakistan

Environmental pollution is one of the burning issues of the world. In developed countries, there are lot of awareness about the environment and the impact of various industries on their life and surroundings. A little has been done in this direction in developing countries. In Pakistan, a big problem is the rapid conglomeration of the brick kilns in the outskirts of nearly all the urban centers to cope with the rapid construction work in big cities. A huge amount of low-grade coal or rubber tires is used as fuel in a very non-scientific manner. The purpose of the present study was to look into the impact of the brick kilns on the different aspects of environmental pollution caused by these kilns. Concentration of metals Cu, Co, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd, and Mn were measured on 36 soil samples collected from the area and the same number of plant samples in order to establish the distribution of heavy metals in the area and to determine the effect of this distribution on the surrounding atmosphere and the possible effects on human life.     

Human health risk assessment for ingestion exposure to groundwater contaminated by naturally occurring mixtures of toxic heavy metals in the Lao PDR

This study constitutes the first systematic risk assessment in the Lao PDR of the safety of groundwater for consumption. Groundwater and hair samples were collected from seven Lao provinces to determine the quantitative health impact of heavy metals through ingestion exposure. Contamination levels for arsenic (As; 46.0 %) and barium (Ba; 16.2 %) exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, especially in Mekong River floodplains. A USEPA assessment model for health risks from daily groundwater ingestion, with adjustments for local water consumption values, was applied to estimate the size of the population at risk for noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic health problems. As was the only element contributing to noncarcinogenic health risks in all contaminated areas. The populations of Bolikhamxai, Savannakhet, Saravane, Champasak, and Attapeu, moreover, were at risks of cancer. In addition to the As groundwater concentration factor, noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were positively correlated with the average daily dose of As, exposure duration, and subject body weight. The level of As in hair correlated with groundwater consumption and average daily dose of As. 25.5 % of the population (n?=?228) showed As levels in hair above the toxicity level.     

Spatial distribution and risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments from a hypertrophic plateau lake Dianchi, China

The sediment in Dianchi Lake, a hypereutrophic plateau lake in southwest China, was investigated and the concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Pb, Fe, Mn, and Cd) in the sediment and sediment properties were determined. Their spatial distribution and sources were analyzed using multivariate statistics. The result indicated that the studied metals exhibited three distinct spatial patterns; that is, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni had a similar distribution, with a concentration gradient from the north to the south part of the lake; Cd and Cr presented a similar distribution; Fe and Mn presented a quite different distribution than other metals, which indicated their different sources and geochemistry processes. Correlation and cluster analysis (CA) provided origin information on these metals and the CA result was observed corresponding to those three spatial patterns. Principal component analysis further displayed metal source and driving factors; that is, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cd, and Cr were mainly derived from anthropogenic sources, and Fe and Mn were mainly the result of natural processes. Sediment assessment was conducted using geoaccumulation index (Igeo), potential ecological risk indices, and USEPA guidelines. The result indicated that, generally, Cd was the most serious risk metal; Pb and Cu posed moderate potential ecological risk; Cr, Zn, and Ni had slight ecological risk; Fe and Mn had little risk. Comparison of the assessment tools showed that each of the methods had its limitation and could bias the result, and the combined use of the methodologies and local knowledge on lithology or metal background value of soil in the practice would give a more comprehensive understanding of the metal risk or pollution. Statistical analysis also indicated that nutrients had different impacts on Fe, Mn, and trace elements, which implied that in the assessment of metal risk, nutrients impact should be taken into consideration especially for eutrophic waters.     

Monitoring of ambient particles and heavy metals in a residential area of Seoul, Korea

In this study, ambient TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 in a residential area located in the northern part of Seoul were monitored every other month for 1 year from April 2005 to February 2006. The monthly average levels of TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 had ranges of 71∼158, 40∼106, and 28∼43 μg/m³, respectively. TSP and PM10 showed highest concentration in April; this seems to be due to Asian dust from China and/or Mongolia. However, the fine particle of PM2.5 showed a relatively constant level during the monitoring period. Heavy metals in PM 10 and PM2.5, such as Cr, As, Cd, Mn, Zn and Pb, were also analysed during the same period. The monthly average concentrations of heavy metal in PM2.5 were Cr:1.9∼22.7 ng/m³; As:0.9∼2.5 ng/m³; Cd: 0.6∼7 ng/m³; Mn:6.1∼22.6 ng/m³; Zn: 38.9∼204.8 ng/m³, and Pb: 21.6∼201.1 ng/m³. For the health risk assessment of heavy metals in ambient particles, excess cancer risks were calculated using IRIS unit risk. As a result, the excess cancer risks of chromium, cadmium, and arsenic were shown to be more than one per million based on the annual concentration of heavy metals, and chromium showed the highest excess cancer risk in ambient particles in Seoul.     

Spatio-temporal variation of heavy metals in fresh water after dam construction: a case study of the Manwan Reservoir, Lancang River

This study investigated temporal heavy metal characteristics over the past 20 years and the spatial variation of heavy metal characteristics at the Manwan Reservoir tail, center, and head in the Lancang River, Yunnan Province, China. The following heavy metals were selected for analysis: Hg, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, As, Cr, Fe, and Mn. Multivariate statistical methods, including principal component analysis (PCA) and the Pearson correlation matrix were used to distinguish the main pollution factors and sources before and after dam construction. The results indicate that the average annual values of heavy metals were far lower than the recommended values of the surface water quality standards in China with the exception of Hg. The concentration of metals showed considerable variation by season, where higher levels of metals generally occurred in high flow periods. The results from PCA show that three significant components were extracted, explaining 76.25% of the total variance. The ANOVA results indicate that Pb, Fe, Mn, and Cr had significant spatial variation (P < 0.05) at the reservoir tail, center and head. The enrichment factor (EF) used to compare the accumulation effect of heavy metals indicated that there was no enrichment (EF < 1) of heavy metals with the exception of Mn, which showed minor enrichment (1 < EF < 3) between the reservoir center and head. The spatiotemporal variation and the accumulation effects of water heavy metals were not distinct due to the construction of the Manwan Reservoir.     

Magnetic mapping of fly-ash pollution and heavy metals from soil samples around a point source in a dry tropical environment

The Singrauli region in the southeastern part of Uttar Pradesh, India is one of the most polluted industrial sites of Asia. It encompasses 11 open cast coalmines and six thermal power stations that generate about 7,500 MW (about 10% of India’s installed generation capacity) electricity. Thermal power plants represent the main source of pollution in this region, emitting six million tonnes of fly-ash per annum. Fly-ash is deposited on soils over a large area surrounding thermal power plants. Fly-ashes have high surface concentrations of several toxic elements (heavy metals) and high atmospheric mobility. Fly ash is produced through high-temperature combustion of fossil fuel rich in ferromagnetic minerals. These contaminants can be identified using rock-magnetic methods. Magnetic susceptibility is directly linked to the concentration of ferromagnetic minerals, primarily high values of magnetite. In this study, magnetic susceptibility of top soil samples collected from surrounding areas of a bituminous-coal-fired power plant were measured to identify areas of high emission levels and to chart the spatial distribution of airborne solid particles. Sites close to the power plant have shown higher values of susceptibility that decreases with increasing distance from the source. A significant correlation between magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal content in soils is found. A comparison of the spatial distribution of magnetic susceptibility with heavy-metal concentrations in soil samples suggests that magnetic measurements can be used as a rapid and inexpensive method for proxy mapping of air borne pollution due to industrial activity.     

Human health risk assessment of environmental and dietary exposure to natural radionuclides in the Catalan stretch of the Ebro River, Spain

This study was aimed at assessing the levels of ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po concentrations as well as gross alpha and beta activities in environmental monitors from the Catalan stretch of the Ebro River (Spain), potentially influenced by the presence of sediments with high concentrations of ²³⁸U and its decay chain daughters in the Flix reservoir. The chronic daily intake of ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po through ingestion and inhalation of soils was evaluated, and the derived non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were characterized. The low concentration of radioisotopes in soils resulted in a negligible annual effective dose. The levels of ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po were determined in various groups of highly consumed food (fish and seafood, vegetables, fruits, and rice), and their dietary intake was calculated. The annual effective dose for the adult people from food intake was estimated in 3.3 × 10^???2 mSv, mostly due to ²¹⁰Po. Overall, the current radioactivity levels in the Catalan stretch of the Ebro River should not mean any additional health risk for the population living nearby. However, an integral assessment of the risks derived from exposure to other pollutants (e.g., metals and organochlorine compounds) jointly with radionuclides could be of great interest.     

Occurrence of heavy metals in fish: a study for impact assessment in industry prone aquatic environment around Kolkata in India

A study was conducted during November 2005-October 2006 for determining the heavy metal contamination in surface water and sediments and giving prime thrust to determine the heavy metal concentrations fish samples collected from various points of the river Ganga at different time interval. Fish samples (viz., Channa marulius and Aorichthys seengala) were analyzed for heavy metals using standard laboratory procedures by AAS method. In impact points the annual average values for Cu, Cr, Cd, Pb and Zn were 0.15, 0.04, 0.03, 0.02 and 0.29 ppm, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals in the riverine water collected from middle point had the order Zn > Cu > Cr > Cd > Pb. The data indicated that copper was maximally accumulated in the riverine sediments whereas least annual average concentration was obtained for lead. The trend of accumulation suggested deposition was maximum for zinc and minimum for cadmium in the muscles of both fish species. Only zinc has shown some significant seasonal variation in relation to metal deposition in fish muscles (minimum in monsoon and maximum in summer). The heavy metal contamination to fish may be due to indiscriminate discharge of polluted and untreated sewage sludge to the river. The heavy metal contents in fish at some places are alarming.     

Transfer of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides to ants, bryophytes and lichen in a semi-natural ecosystem

Few data are available to quantify the transfer of both natural and anthropogenic radionuclides to detritivorous invertebrates to facilitate estimation of the internal dose to such biota in models used to assess radiation exposure. To enhance the available data, activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K, ⁹⁰Sr, ^239?+?240Pu, ²⁴¹Am, ²³⁵U and ²³⁸U were measured in ants (Formicidae) and corresponding undisturbed soil collected from the Zlatibor mountain in Serbia and ant/soil concentration ratios (CR) calculated. The ²⁴¹Am concentration ratios for ants were fourfold higher than those calculated for ants in a previous study whereas they are similar to the more numerous data previously reported for a range of detritivorous invertebrates in other studies. CR values for ¹³⁷Cs in ants were similar to the few other reported values and slightly lower than those for a range of detritivorous invertebrates. Those for ^239?+?240Pu were slightly higher than those for ants in two other studies but they were close to upper limit of a range of data reported for detritivorous invertebrates. All the CR values will be included in a future revision of the ERICA Tool database and will particularly improve the information available for uranium.     

Environmental exposure to POPs and heavy metals in urban children from Dhaka, Bangladesh

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals are well known environmental pollutants. Even though numerous studies have been carried out to assess human exposures to these compounds, there is still a lack of data on humans from developing countries, especially in underprivileged children. The objective of this study was to assess the exposure to POPs and heavy metals in children from Dhaka, Bangladesh. One specific aim was to investigate whether children working at, or living close to, open waste disposal sites (WDSs) were more heavily exposed than other urban children. In 2008, blood and serum were collected from 73 children aged 7-16 from five neighbourhoods. Some of the children lived and worked at WDSs (N = 31), others lived next to a WDS (N = 17), whereas some children lived far from such sites (N = 25). Blood levels of lead (B-Pb), cadmium (B-Cd), and selenium (B-Se) were determined by ICP-MS for all subjects. The metal levels were high, with B-Pb overall mean 120 μg L(-1) (range 40-220), B-Cd 0.74 μg L(-1) (0.22-4.1), and B-Se 120 μg L(-1) (81-170). There were no marked differences between children from the different neighbourhoods, or between WDS workers and other children. PCB levels were low and with no contrast between neighbourhoods, for CB-153 the overall mean was 7.0 ng g(-1) fat (2.8-51). In contrast, high levels of DDTs were observed in all children, for 4,4'-DDE 1300 ng g(-1) fat (420-4600), and for 4,4'-DDT 326 ng g(-1) fat (44-1400), indicating ongoing exposure. PBDE levels were low, and BDE-209 was quantitated mainly in children working at or living close to WDSs. In conclusion, the high levels of DDTs, lead and cadmium observed in children from Dhaka are of concern. Many children were exposed at levels where health effects have been observed, or at levels without safety margins.     

Biogeochemical study of termite mounds: a case study from Tummalapalle area of Andhra Pradesh,India

Termite mounds are abundant components of Tummalapalle area of uranium mineralization of Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The systematic research has been carried out on the application of termite mound sampling to mineral exploration in this region. The distribution of chemical elements Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr, Li, Rb, Sr, Ba, and U were studied both in termite soils and adjacent surface soils. Uranium accumulations were noticed in seven termite mounds ranging from 10 to 36 ppm. A biogeochemical parameter called “Biological Absorption Coefficient” of the termite mounds indicated the termite affected soils contained huge amounts of chemical elements than the adjacent soils.