Health risk assessment of trace metal(loid)s in agricultural soils based on Monte Carlo simulation coupled with positive matrix factorization model in Chongqing, southwest China

This study aimed to investigate the pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and health risks associated with trace metal(loid)s(TMs) in the major agricultural producing areas in Chongqing, China. We analyzed the source apportionment and assessed the health risk of TMs in agricultural soils by using positive matrix factorization(PMF) model and health risk assessment(HRA) model based on Monte Carlo simulation. Meanwhile, we combined PMF and HRA models to explore the health risks of TMs in agricultural soils by different pollution sources to determine the priority control factors. Results showed that the average contents of cadmium(Cd), arsenic (As), lead(Pb), chromium(Cr), copper(Cu), nickel(Ni), and zinc(Zn) in the soil were found to be 0.26, 5.93, 27.14, 61.32, 23.81, 32.45, and 78.65 mg/kg, respectively. Spatial analysis and source apportionment analysis revealed that urban and industrial sources, agricultural sources, and natural sources accounted for 33.0%, 27.7%, and 39.3% of TM accumulation in the soil, respectively. In the HRA model based on Monte Carlo simulation, noncarcinogenic risks were deemed negligible(hazard index <1), the carcinogenic risks were at acceptable level(10^(-6)<total carcinogenic risk ≤ 10^(-4)), with higher risks observed for children compared to adults. The relationship between TMs, their sources, and health risks indicated that urban and industrial sources were primarily associated with As, contributing to 75.1% of carcinogenic risks and 55.7% of non-carcinogenic risks, making them the primary control factors. Meanwhile, agricultural sources were primarily linked to Cd and Pb, contributing to 13.1% of carcinogenic risks and 21.8% of non-carcinogenic risks, designating them as secondary control factors.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils and crops in a mining area(Au-Ag-Cutrona-oil et al.) of the Nanyang Basin, Henan Province, China

Heavy metal distribution in mining areas has always been a hot research topic due to the special environment of these areas. This study aims to explore the impact of heavy metal pollution on soils and crops in the study area, ensure the safety of local crops and the health of local residents, and provide a basis for the subsequent environmental restoration and the prevention and control of environmental pollution. Based on the analysis of the heavy metal concentrations in local soils and crops, the study investigated the spatial distribution, pollution degrees, and potential ecological risks of heavy metals in the farmland of a mining area in the southeastern Nanyang Basin, Henan province, China explored the sources of heavy metals and assessed the health risks caused by crop intake. The results of this study are as follows. The root soils of crops in the study area suffered heavy metal pollution to varying degrees. The degree of heavy metal pollution in maize fields is higher than that in wheat fields, and both types of fields suffer the most severe Cd pollution. Moreover, the root soils of different crops suffer compound pollution.The root soils in the maize fields suffer severe compound pollution at some sampling positions, whose distribution is similar to that of the mining area. Cd poses the highest potential ecological risks among all heavy metals, and the study area mainly suffers low and moderate comprehensive potential ecological risks. The principal component analysis(PCA) shows that the distribution of Zn, Cd, Pb, and As in soils of the study area is mainly affected by anthropogenic factors such as local mining activities;the distribution of Cr and Ni is primarily controlled by the local geological background;the distribution of Hg is mainly affected by local vehicle exhaust emissions, and the distribution of Cu is influenced by both human activities and the geological background. Different cereal crops in the study area are polluted with heavy metals dominated by Cd and Ni to varying degrees, especially wheat. As indicated by the health risk assessment results, the intake of maize in the study area does not pose significant human health risks;however, Cu has high risks to human health, and the compound heavy metal pollution caused by the intake of wheat in the study area poses risks to the health of both adults and children. Overall, the soils and crops in the study area suffer a high degree of heavy metal pollution, for which mining activities may be the main reason.

Seasonal variations and health risk assessment of trace elements in the Badigad River,lesser Himalayas,Nepal

The consumption of contaminated river water can have severe effects on human health.This study aims to investigate the trace elements(TEs)content and their health risk assessment in the Badigad River Basin in the lesser Himalayas of Nepal.In total,44 water samples were collected from 22 different sites during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons,and 25 TEs were analyzed.Correlation matrix and principal component analysis(PCA)were used to analyze the potential relationship between the measured TEs and their source tracking.Furthermore,the water quality index(WQI),metal index(MI),and cancer index(CI)were evaluated.The TEs content in all samples were found to be within the WHO recommended guideline for drinking and domestic purposes.The dominancy order of the TEs was observed as Sr>Ba>Li>Rb>Zn>Cr>Sc>Mn>Ti>Cu>As>Ni>Co>U>V>Pb>Cs>Ga>Y>Tl>Th>Zr>Bi>Cd>Nb.The PCA analysis suggested that TEs could have natural,anthropogenic,and mixed origins.The WQI indicated that the river water is safe from a human health perspective.The MI suggested that Badigad River can be considered safer for drinking purposes,and the cancer index(CI)showed that all the reported TEs are at low-risk levels.The findings of this study could be useful for government agencies in developing more sustainable water management policies in the region.However,it is suggested that further investigations should be conducted in terms of other hydrogeochemical variables,including major ions,at spatiotemporal levels for the sustainability of the river basin.

Soil Heavy Metal Pollution and Health Risk Assessment of Abandoned Land in Coal Mining Areas in Xingren County

Total contents of heavy metals （ Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg, As, Cu, Zn, and Ni） in 68 soil samples were determined to evaluate the contamination level of soil from five coal mine areas in Xingren County, Guizhou province. The pollution levels of heavy metals were characterized by anthro- pogenic influence multiple, and the pollution of heavy metal in soil was evaluated using geo-accumulation index. Based on the health risk models recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency （ US EPA）, the health risks of heavy metals in the soils were assessed. The results showed that the abandoned land in the five coal mining areas were contaminated by heavy metals, and the order of pollution levels of eight heavy metals was As 〉 Pb 〉 Cu 〉 Hg 〉 Ni 〉 Cr 〉 Cd 〉 Zn. The soils suffered moderate-heavy pollution from As and Pb, and the contents of As and Pb in the soils were 13.16 and 4.76 times higher than the background values of Guizhou Province, followed by Cu, Hg and Ni , while soil pollution from Cr, Cd and Zn was mild. The order of non-caminogenic risks of the heavy metals in the soils was As 〉 Pb 〉 Cr 〉 Ni 〉 Cu 〉 Hg 〉 Cd 〉 Zn, and the non-carcinogenic dsk value of As was higher than that its threshold value 1, which indicated that As had a high potential health risk to adults and children. The order of carcinogen risks of the four heavy metals was As 〉 Cd 〉 Cr 〉 Ni, and the carcinogenic risk value of As was higher than its threshold value, indicating that As had a high carcinogenic risk to adults and children. The carcinogenic risk values of other three heavy metals （ Cd, Cr and Ni） were lower than the threshold value, so they had no carcinogenic risk to human health. Moreover, children were more sensitively affect- ed by heavy metals from the abandoned land. Therefore, the health of children in such areas should be paid more attention to. The HI value of the eight heavy metals to children was seven times higher than that to adults. The contribution rate of HQAs to HI was about 88%, and the contribution rate of CRA, to TCR was about 98%, so As was the most crucial factor influencing non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic dsk in the abandoned soils.

Occupational Health Risk Assessment of Benzene,Toluene,and Xylene in Shanghai

Objective This study was designed to conduct a retrospective and systematic occupational health risk assessment(OHRA)of enterprises that used benzene,toluene,and xylene(BTX)in Shanghai,China.Methods All data for the study were obtained from 1,705 occupational health examination and evaluation reports from 2013 to 2017,and a semiquantitative model following Chinese OHRA guidelines(GBZ/T 298-2017)was applied for the assessment.Results The selected enterprises using BTX were mainly involved in manufacturing of products.Using the exposure level method,health risk levels associated with exposure to BTX were classified as medium,negligible,or low.However,the risk levels associated with benzene and toluene were significantly different according to job types,with gluers and inkers exhibiting greater health risks.For the same job type,the health risk levels assessed using the comprehensive index method were higher than those using the exposure level method.Conclusion Our OHRA reveals that workers who are exposed to BTX still face excessive health risk.Additionally,the risk level varied depending on job categories and exposure to specific chemicals.Therefore,additional control measures recommended by OHRA guidelines are essential to reduce worker exposure levels.

Potentially toxic metal concentration,spatial distribution,and health risk assessment in drinking groundwater resources of southeast Iran

In this study, the concentration and spatial distribution of potentially toxic metals(PTMs), including arsenic(As), cadmium(Cd), chromium(Cr), lead(Pb), copper(Cu), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), and magnesium(Mg) in 23 wells and drinking groundwater distribution networks of Rafsanjan, located in southeast Iran were evaluated. Moreover, the assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation(MCS). The results showed that the concentrations of As and Pb in more than 99% and 23.46% of the study area, respectively, were higher than the maximum concentration level(10 μg/L). The mean concentration of other metals, including Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Mn in all drinking water resources was within the WHO standard level. The mean hazard quotient(HQ) for As in the age group of children was 9.246 and adults 2.972, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As in the study area. The lifetime cancer risk(LTCR) of As was 1.36 E-3 for adults and 1.52 E-2 for children, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As. The level of HQ and LTCR for Pb in both age groups was in the acceptable range. The results of sensitivity analysis showed that the most effective variables were pollutant concentration and body weight(BW), respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that exposure to PTMs, especially As through drinking water in the study area can have significant effects on people’s health living in the area;therefore, it is necessary to treat and remove As from groundwater resources before drinking or using for domestic purpose.

Total Mercury Concentration of Guizhou Rice and Human Health Risk Assessment

The mercury content of cultivated land in Guizhou is higher than other provinces in China. An investigation of the total mercury concentration of rice in Guizhou and human health risk assessment was done for the high level of mercury in agricultural soil of Guizhou. This result can provide a scientific basis for food risk inspection management in Guizhou. The samples were detected from 9 zones in Guizhou, and all the samples were local rice. The mercury concentration in rice was detected by the atomic fluorescence spectrometry according to GB/T 5009.17-2003, and the U.S. EPA＇s health risk assessment model was used in the research. The results indicate that a maximum of 0.024 4 mg/kg in the rice samples can be detected, and the exceeding rate is 4.85%, and no mercury can be found in 22 samples. Personal lifetime risk coefficient of mercury health hazard is 1.97 ×10^-3, which belongs to the first level risk （slight risk）. It poses no risk to the exposure population.

Atmospheric deposition fluxes and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in Caohai Lake(Guizhou Province,China)

In this study,the sources of potentially toxic elements(PTEs)from atmospheric deposition in the waters of Guizhou’s Caohai Lake were investigated in addition to the potential risks to human health.Moss bags were used to enrich PTEs from atmospheric deposition,and eight monitoring sites that best represented geographic variation were established around Caohai Lake.Moss bags were collected and examined at every 3 months to identify spatiotemporal patterns of dry and wet atmospheric deposition of PTEs.Zn was the most abundant metal identified from deposition in Caohai(72.07%–95.94%),followed by Pb and Cd,while Hg was the least abundant(0.008%–0.354%).The contributions of wet deposition of PTEs were greater than those of dry deposition,and deposition during the heating season from December to April was greater than that between April to July.Hg was mainly derived from atmospheric dry deposition(65.38%–84.44%).Spatial distribution analysis indicated that atmospheric deposition was associated with the intensity of human activities and heating emissions.Exposure via hand-to-mouth contact accounted for over 99%of the total exposure risk although overall exposure was lower than threshold acceptable levels for carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic metals,indicating an overall lack of risk towards human health.Nevertheless,the health risk from atmospheric deposition of PTEs in Caohai Lake may be reduced by focusing on Zn,Pb,and Cd deposition in rainfall and minimizing the hazards associated with hand-to-mouth exposure to PTEs.

Health Risk Assessment of Groundwater in Shigatse Landfill Site of Tibet

[Objectives]The research aimed to grasp environmental quality of groundwater in a landfill site,predict health risk of pollution factors to regional residents,provide scientific basis for landfill management,pollution prevention and control,and ensure safety of residents'drinking water supply.[Methods]Through on-site sampling of three groundwater monitoring wells at Shigatse landfill,and testing and analysis of conventional indexes and heavy metal elements,standard index method and comprehensive index method were used to evaluate environmental quality of groundwater in the landfill area.On this basis,a health risk evaluation model was applied to assess the health risk of residents in Shigatse landfill area.[Results]Comprehensive water quality was good in individual well of Shigatse landfill.Because NH_(3)-N and Fe in the monitoring well exceeded class Ⅲ standard of groundwater environmental quality in 2014,pollution of monitoring well was relatively heavy.The total carcinogenic risk of landfill groundwater for male and female was 1.855×10^(-6) and 2.238×10^(-6),respectively,exceeding the maximum acceptable level of carcinogenic risk for contaminants(1×10^(-6)).Cr^(6+)should be paid attention to.Moreover,risk value of health hazard for females was generally higher than that of males.The total non-carcinogenic risk values for males and females were 0.0577 and 0.0696,respectively,far lower than the non-carcinogenic risk threshold of"1".[Conclusions]The groundwater environmental quality of Shigatse landfill site was good,and it posed a little health risk to regional residents.

Sensitivity of key factors and uncertainties in health risk assessment of benzene pollutant

Predicting long-term potential human health risks from contaminants in the multimedia environment requires the use of models. However, there is uncertainty associated with these predictions of many parameters which can be represented by ranges or probability distributions rather than single value. Based on a case study with information from an actual site contaminated with benzene, this study describes the application of MMSOILS model to predict health risk and distributions of those predictions generated using Monte Carlo techniques. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate which of the random variables are most important in producing the predicted distributions of health risks. The sensitivity analysis shows that the predicted distributions can be accurately reproduced using a small subset of the random variables. The practical implication of this analysis is the ability to distinguish between important versus unimportant random variables in terms of their sensitivity to selected endpoints. This directly translates into a reduction in data collection and modeling effort. It was demonstrated that how correlation coefficient could be used to evaluate contributions to overall uncertainty from each parameter. The integrated uncertainty analysis shows that although drinking groundwater risk is similar with inhalation air risk, uncertainties of total risk come dominantly from drinking groundwater route. Most percent of the variance of total risk comes from four random variables.

Multimedia health risk assessment:A case study of scenario-uncertainty

Assisted by framework of multimedia total exposure model for hazard waste sites(CalTOX),potential influences of scenario-uncertainty on multimedia health risk assessment(MHRA) and decision-making were quantitatively analyzed in a primary extent under the Chinese scenario case by deliberately varying the two key scenario-elements,namely conceptual exposure pathways combination and aim receptor cohorts choice.Results show that the independent change of one exposure pathway or receptor cohort could lead variation of MHRA results in the range of 3.6×10-6-1.4×10-5 or 6.7×10-6-2.3×10-5.And randomly simultaneous change of those two elements could lead variation of MHRA results at the range of 7.7×10-8-2.3×10-5.On the basis of the corresponding sensitivity analysis,pathways which made a valid contribution to the final modeling risk value occupied only 16.7% of all considered pathways.Afterwards,comparative analysis between influence of parameter-uncertainty and influence of scenario-uncertainty was made.In consideration of interrelationship among all types of uncertainties and financial reasonability during MHRA procedures,the integrated method how to optimize the entire procedures of MHRA was presented innovatively based on sensitivity analysis,scenario-discussion and nest Monte Carlo simulation or fuzzy mathematics.

Impact of artificial waterfall using reclaimed water to VOCs and its health risk assessment

To study the impact of an artificial waterfall using reclaimed water on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air, air samples around the waterfall sight and over the CASS pond of a wastewater treatment plant were collected and VOCs were analyzed by MC-MS with USEPA Method TO-14. The total volatile organic compounds (TOVCs) concentration of a background sample is 2112 μg/m3, and the sample over the CASS pond has a TVOC concentration of 1858 μg/m3. The TVOC concentrations of air samples within 10 m of the artificial waterfall are between 3216 μg/m3 and 6362 μg/m3, which are 1.52-3.0 times that of the background sample. The VOCs in air sample impacted by reclaimed water or waste water exhibit a relatively high proportion of toluene but low proportion of benzene. B/T/E/X (Benzene/Toluene/Ethylbenzene/Xylene) ratio of the air sample around the artificial water fall is(0.36/11.78/1/1.10). Health risk assessment (HRA) was done with the USEPA four-step approach. The result indicates that the artificial waterfall using reclaimed water indeed leads to the increase of human risk value. The total risk value of the sample around the waterfall is 2.8-1.6 times that of the background sample. However, the total risk value of the air sample around the waterfall (2.8×10-6) for common people is still lower,compared to the acceptable public risk level(10-5). For occupational workers of the wastewater treatment plant, the sum of lifetime non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk values(1.26×10-5) is higher than that of the acceptable public risk level.

Heavy Metal Pollution Status and Health Risk Assessment in the Longjiang River

[Objectives] The purpose of this research was to investigate the water quality of the Longjiang River in Guangxi. Concentrations of heavy metals( As,Cd,Zn,Pb and Cu) in the surface water of Longjiang River were analyzed to figure out the distribution characteristics of heavy metal pollutants in this area. [Methods]The Nemerow comprehensive index method and the health risk assessment model were adopted to evaluate the grade of Longjiang River water quality and the health risk level imposed by heavy metals in the water. [Results] The concentrations of heavy metals in each sampling point conformed to Grade-II water quality standard. The water samples collected on 13 sampling points of the Longjiang River were clean and not polluted by heavy metals. The health risk values of heavy metals As and Zn were greater than Cd,Pb and Cu in the Longjiang River,but still lower than the maximum acceptable risk level 5. 0 × 10^(-5)a^(-1). [Conclusions]Water quality condition reflected by the comprehensive pollution index and the health risk value of heavy metal was consistent in the Longjiang River,showing as that the value in middle and lower reaches was slightly higher than in the upper reaches. As is the major pollutant of water environment health risk in the Longjiang River,and it should be regarded as the key object of water environment risk management in Longjiang River.

Health risk assessment for typical and abandoned chromium-contaminated sites

Chromium pollution were investigated by sampling the abandoned chromium contaminated sites in Chongqing. Its health risk was assessed following the procedures made by USEPA. The results showed that the most seriously polluted land was found at the former production area(G4) with average Cr(VI) concentration of 3369.2 mg·kg-1 on the surface soil. The assessment indicated that there was high risk of non-carcinogens for children. The assessed risk of the first layer of office area(G1) for children, chromium slag transition(G2), drainage pipeline chromium slag transition(G3) and production area(G4) for both children and adults were not acceptable(>1.00×10-6). It was strongly suggested that the accessible measures of remediation should be taken for a portion of contaminated sites before the reuse of abandoned lands.

Research Progress in Occupational Health Risk Assessment Methods in China

Traditional occupational disease control and prevention has remained prevalent in China over recent decades. There are appropriately 30,000 new case reports of occupational diseases annually. Although China has already established a series of occupational disease prevention programs, occupational health risk assessment （OHRA） strategies continue to be a limitation.

Health Risk Assessment from Exposure to Heavy Metals in Surface and Groundwater Resources within Barkin Ladi, North Central Nigeria

Concentration of heavy metals from surface and groundwater within the communities were determined in order to assess the health risks linked to the use/consumption of same. Furthermore, the cancer risk for adults in surface water revealed medium to high cancer risk for arsenic (As);low to medium cancer risk for cadmium (Cd) and very high cancer risk for chromium (Cr). In addition, the cancer risk for adults in groundwater is as follows: high cancer risk for As;low cancer risk for Cd and very high cancer risk for Cr while that for children is very high cancer risk for As and Cr and then low cancer risk for Cd. The findings from this research confirm that the inhabitants within the study area are at direct health risk (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) due to the alternate use of surface and groundwater without any form of treatment.

The underappreciated role of fugitive VOCs in ozone formation and health risk assessment emitted from seven typical industries in China

Fugitive emission from industrial sources may result in ozone formation and health risk,while the exact contribution of this source remains incompletely understood.In this study,emission characteristics,ozone formation potential(OFP)and health risk of fugitive VOCs in7 representative industries were investigated.Chemical material industry was the dominant contributor to VOCs of fugitive emission in comparison with other industries.The OFP of VOCs from fugitive emission was in the range of 1.45×10^(3)-3.98×10^(5)μg/m^(3),with a higher value than that of organized emission in seven industries except for the coking industry and the chemical material industry,suggesting that fugitive VOCs should be taken into account while developing control strategies.Acetaldehyde,m,p-xylene,n-nonane,ethylene,vinyl chloridethe and other high OFP-contributing species were the major reactive species that should be targeted.Health risk assessment investigated non-cancer and cancer risks of fugitive VOCs in 7 industries were all above safe level(HR>1 and LCR>1×10^(-4)),posing remarkable health threats to human health.OVOCs were the main contributor to non-cancer risk,while halohydrocarbons and aromatics contributed most to cancer risks,posing remarkable health threat on human health.Our findings highlighted the contribution of fugitive VOCs on ozone formation and health risk was underestimated,indicating which should be considered in emission control strategies of industrial sources.

Finer-scale urban health risk assessment based on the interaction perspective of thermal radiation,human,activity,and space

Urban heat stress profoundly affects the health of residents.However,current research primarily focuses on quantifying the risk of urban heat based on LST,Ta,etc.,overlooking the crucial and intimate influence of continuous intense solar radiation on human thermal comfort and health.Simultaneously,there is a lack of smaller units to support more precise planning.This study utilized the radiant heat stress intensity(RHSI)metric concentrating on the intensity and duration of thermal radiation,to develop a thermal-radiation induced health risk(TIHR)assessment system.Leveraging technologies such as the SOLWEIG model,Python,BERT,and GIS enables precise calculations of 12 spatial indices,including RHSI and Weibo heat.This facilitates a more accurate assessment of health risks at the smallest urban units(blocks)and directly guides planning.The application of this workflow in the case of Suoyuwan,Dalian,China,confirms its value,as it can be used to determine which blocks should be prioritized for specific aspects of risk prevention and control.The results show that some blocks exhibited differences in TIHR even within close proximity,with disaster-causing factors varying according to locations.This study proposes a novel assessment framework based on the interactive perspective of thermal radiation-human-activity-space.

Human Health Risk Assessment Model of Organic Pollution in Groundwater:Shijiazhuang Industrial Zone

In this study, a risk-based management model is developed and applied to an industrial zone. The models proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Han Bing have been improved by adding a residual ratio of volatile organic compounds （VOC） after boiling and deleting the related parameters in half-life. Using this improved model, an integrated process was used to assess human health risk level in the study area. Compared with water quality analysis, the results highlight the importance of applying an integrated approach for decision making on risk levels and water protection. The results of this study demonstrated that： （1） Compared with these permissible level standards in China （GB 3838-2002） and National Primary Drinking Water Regulations of the United States, the residents＇ daily life had not been affected by the groundwater in this area （except for relative bad water quality of HB3-4 and HB3-6）; （2） The typical detected organic contaminants of all groundwater samples were chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethene, and the pollution sources were mainly industrial sources by preliminary investigations; （3） As for groundwater, the non-carcinogenic risk values of all samples do not exceed the permissible level of 1.0 and the carcinogenic risk values are relatively lower than the permissible level of 1.00E-06 to 1.00E-04; （4） Drinking water pathway of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene mainly contribute to increasing the health risk of residents＇ in study areas; （5） In terms of non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk, the health risk order for drinking water pathway and dermal contact pathway was： drinking water pathway 〉 dermal contact pathway.