Hu Yonglong, Eziz Mamattursun, Wang Liling, Subi Xayida
College of Geographical Science and Tourism, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China.
Laboratory of Arid Zone Lake Environment and Resources, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China.
Toxics. 2024 Jun 29;12(7):474. doi: 10.3390/toxics12070474.
Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pose a significant threat to the groundwater system and human health. Pollution and the potential risks of PTEs in groundwater in the Kǒnqi River Basin (KRB) of the northwest arid zones of China are still unknown. A total of 53 groundwater samples containing eight PTEs (Al, As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Se, and Zn) were collected from the KRB, and the pollution levels and probabilistic health risks caused by PTEs were assessed based on the Nemerow Index (NI) method and the health risk assessment model. The results revealed that the mean contents of Al, As, and Mn in the groundwater surpassed the Class III threshold of the Standard for Groundwater Quality of China. The overall pollution levels of the investigated PTEs in the groundwater fall into the moderate pollution level. The spatial distributions of contents and pollution levels of different PTEs in the groundwater were different. Health risk assessment indicated that all the investigated PTEs in groundwater in the KRB may pose a probabilistic non-carcinogenic health risk for both adults and children. Moreover, As may pose a non-carcinogenic health risk, whereas the non-carcinogenic health risk posed by the other seven PTEs in groundwater will not have the non-carcinogenic risks. Furthermore, As falls into the low carcinogenic risk level, whereas Cd falls into the very low carcinogenic risk level. Overall, As was confirmed as the dominant pollution factor and health risk factor of groundwater in the KRB. Results of this study provide the scientific basis needed for the prevention and control of PTE pollution in groundwater.
潜在有毒元素（PTEs）对地下水系统和人类健康构成重大威胁。中国西北干旱区孔雀河流域（KRB）地下水中PTEs的污染情况及潜在风险尚不清楚。从KRB采集了53个含有8种PTEs（铝、砷、镉、铜、锰、铅、硒和锌）的地下水样本，并基于内梅罗指数（NI）法和健康风险评估模型对PTEs造成的污染水平和概率健康风险进行了评估。结果表明，地下水中铝、砷和锰的平均含量超过了中国《地下水质量标准》的Ⅲ类阈值。所调查的地下水中PTEs的总体污染水平处于中度污染水平。地下水中不同PTEs的含量和污染水平的空间分布各不相同。健康风险评估表明，KRB地下水中所有被调查的PTEs可能对成年人和儿童都构成概率性非致癌健康风险。此外，砷可能构成非致癌健康风险，而地下水中其他7种PTEs所构成的非致癌健康风险则不会产生非致癌风险。此外，砷处于低致癌风险水平，而镉处于极低致癌风险水平。总体而言，砷被确认为KRB地下水中的主要污染因子和健康风险因子。本研究结果为地下水PTEs污染的防控提供了科学依据。
