Liu Haiyan, Guo Huaming, Pourret Olivier, Wang Zhen
State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and Environment, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, PR China; Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Genesis and Remediation of Groundwater Pollution and School of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, PR China.
MWR Key Laboratory of Groundwater Conservation and School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Nov 1;949:175063. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175063. Epub 2024 Jul 26.
Limited knowledge exists regarding the potential risks associated with anthropogenic release of rare earth elements (REEs) in the environment. This study aimed to investigate REE signatures in the watershed Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China. Samples of surface water, wastewater, and groundwater were collected from five rivers discharging into the lake. Results revealed wastewater from wastewater treatment plants contained total REE concentrations from 231 to 904 μg/L, exceeding those found in surface water (0.4 to 1.3 μg/L) and groundwater (0.5 to 416 μg/L). Samples with elevated REE were found in Ca-Mg-Cl/SO type waters and exhibited an OD deviation from local meteoric water line. Wastewater exhibited a higher positive Gd anomaly compared to surface water and groundwater, attributed to anthropogenic input of Gd (Gd). The determined Gd concentration ranged from 0.04 to 0.21 μg/L, and from 0.06 to 0.37 μg/L, accounting for 4 % to 21 % and 49 % to 84 % of total Gd concentrations in groundwater and surface water, respectively. Gd concentration in wastewater (0.19 to 0.43 μg/L) remained constant in effluent after wastewater treatment. Surface water displayed relatively complex normalized REE patterns influenced by anthropogenic activities and natural processes (weathering and complexation), while groundwater exhibited heavy REEs enrichment, due to carbonate solution complexation. Additionally, Gd concentration showed a positive correlation with ΣREE, Pb, Ni, and Co concentrations in groundwater, indicating a good pollution tracing potential. Health risk assessment using the hazard quotient (HQ) suggested higher HQ values in groundwater compared to surface water. Residents in the eastern part of Poyang Lake were found to face higher risks associated with Gd in groundwater compared to the western part, with infants and children at greater risk than adult males and females. These findings offer valuable insights into environmental behavior and health risks of REEs in aquatic systems impacted by human activities.
关于稀土元素（REEs）人为释放到环境中所带来的潜在风险，目前了解有限。本研究旨在调查中国最大的淡水湖——鄱阳湖流域的稀土元素特征。从注入该湖的五条河流采集了地表水、废水和地下水样本。结果显示，污水处理厂的废水总稀土元素浓度为231至904μg/L，超过了地表水（0.4至1.3μg/L）和地下水（0.5至416μg/L）中的浓度。在Ca-Mg-Cl/SO型水体中发现了稀土元素含量升高的样本，并且其氧同位素偏离了当地大气降水线。与地表水和地下水相比，废水表现出更高的正钆（Gd）异常，这归因于钆（Gd）的人为输入。测定的钆浓度范围分别为0.04至0.21μg/L和0.06至0.37μg/L，分别占地下水和地表水总钆浓度的4%至21%和49%至84%。污水处理后，废水中的钆浓度（0.19至0.43μg/L）在排放物中保持恒定。受人为活动和自然过程（风化和络合作用）影响，地表水呈现出相对复杂的标准化稀土元素模式，而由于碳酸盐溶液络合作用，地下水表现出重稀土元素富集。此外，钆浓度与地下水中的总稀土元素、铅、镍和钴浓度呈正相关，表明具有良好的污染追踪潜力。使用危害商数（HQ）进行的健康风险评估表明，与地表水相比，地下水中的HQ值更高。发现鄱阳湖东部的居民面临的地下水中钆相关风险高于西部，婴儿和儿童面临的风险高于成年男性和女性。这些发现为受人类活动影响的水生系统中稀土元素的环境行为和健康风险提供了有价值的见解。
