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Spatial Characteristics, Health Risk Assessment and Sustainable Management of Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Soils from Central China

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  • Fei Li

    (Research Center for Environment and Health, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
    School of Information and Safety Engineering, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China)

  • Ying Cai

    (Research Center for Environment and Health, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
    School of Information and Safety Engineering, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China)

  • Jingdong Zhang

    (Research Center for Environment and Health, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
    School of Information and Safety Engineering, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China)

Abstract

The contents of seven toxic metals (Cu, Cr, Cd, Zn, Pb, Hg and As) in soils from Central China, including Henan Province, Hubei Province and Hunan Province, were collected from published papers from 2007 to 2017. The geoaccumulation index, health risk assessment model and statistics were adopted to study the spatial contamination pattern, to assess the human health risks and to identify the priority control pollutants. The concentrations of soil metals in Central China, especially Cd (1.31 mg/kg), Pb (44.43 mg/kg) and Hg (0.19 mg/kg), surpassed their corresponding background values, and the I geo values of Cd and Hg varied the most, ranging from the unpolluted level to the extremely polluted level. The concentrations of toxic metals were higher in the southern and northern parts of Central China, contrasting to the lowest contents in the middle parts. For non-carcinogenic risk, the hazard index (HI) values for the children in Hubei Province (1.10) and Hunan Province (1.41) exceeded the safe level of one, with higher health risks to children than adults, and the hazard quotient (HQ) values of the three exposure pathways for both children and adults in Central China decreased in the following order: ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation. For carcinogenic risk (CR), the CR values for children in Hubei Province (2.55 × 10 −4 ), Hunan Province (3.44 × 10 −4 ) and Henan Province (1.69 × 10 −4 ), and the CR for adults in Hubei Province (3.67 × 10 −5 ), Hunan Province (4.92 × 10 −5 ) and Henan Province (2.45 × 10 −5 ) exceeded the unacceptable level (10 −4 ) and acceptable level (10 −6 ), respectively. Arsenic (As) appeared to be the main metalloid for both children and adults causing the high carcinogenic risk. For sustainable development in Central China, special attention should be paid to Cd, Hg, Cr, Pb and As, identified as the priority control soil metals. Importance should also be attached to public education, source control, and the remediation of the highly contaminated soils, especially in the areas where it can endanger the groundwater. Furthermore, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the industrial structure and cooperate more to form a complete economic zone.

Suggested Citation

  • Fei Li & Ying Cai & Jingdong Zhang, 2018. "Spatial Characteristics, Health Risk Assessment and Sustainable Management of Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Soils from Central China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-24, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:1:p:91-:d:125360
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. HUANG, Yuyi & CHEN, Guifen & XIONG, Liumei & WANG, Yuning & YE, Kaifu & ZHANG, Lan & TANG, Qizhan & WANG, Jin, 2015. "Survey and Evaluation of Heavy Metal Pollution in Paddy Soil in West Guangxi," Asian Agricultural Research, USA-China Science and Culture Media Corporation, vol. 7(07), pages 1-3, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yunwei Li & Qiuping Ji & Zijie Wang & Zishan Xiong & Simeng Zhan & Yiping Yang & Yu Hao, 2022. "Green energy mismatch, industrial intelligence and economics growth: theory and empirical evidence from China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(10), pages 11785-11816, October.
    2. Asma Shaheen & Javed Iqbal, 2018. "Spatial Distribution and Mobility Assessment of Carcinogenic Heavy Metals in Soil Profiles Using Geostatistics and Random Forest, Boruta Algorithm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Teng Wang & Jingjing Yan & Jinlong Ma & Fei Li & Chaoyang Liu & Ying Cai & Si Chen & Jingjing Zeng & Yu Qi, 2018. "A Fuzzy Comprehensive Assessment and Hierarchical Management System for Urban Lake Health: A Case Study on the Lakes in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Jingdong Zhang & Liyun Zhu & Fei Li & Chaoyang Liu & Zhenzhen Qiu & Minsi Xiao & Ying Cai, 2018. "Comparison of Toxic Metal Distribution Characteristics and Health Risk between Cultured and Wild Fish Captured from Honghu City, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, February.
    5. Jun Yang & Silu Ma & Yongwei Song & Fei Li & Jingcheng Zhou, 2021. "Rethinking of Environmental Health Risks: A Systematic Approach of Physical—Social Health Vulnerability Assessment on Heavy-Metal Exposure through Soil and Vegetables," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Ying Cai & Fei Li & Jingdong Zhang & Zixian Wu, 2018. "Occupational Health Risk Assessment in the Electronics Industry in China Based on the Occupational Classification Method and EPA Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-11, September.
    7. Jingjing Zeng & Meng Yuan & Richard Feiock, 2019. "What Drives People to Complain about Environmental Issues? An Analysis Based on Panel Data Crossing Provinces of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, February.
    8. Kristina Baziene & Ina Tetsman & Ramune Albrektiene, 2020. "Level of Pollution on Surrounding Environment from Landfill Aftercare," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-14, March.

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