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| Source Analysis and Health Risk Assessment of Metals in Water Surrounding a Uranium Tailings Reservoir |
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Received:February 17, 2023
Revised:February 22, 2023
Accepted:February 28, 2023
Published Online:June 16, 2023
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| DOI：doi：10.3969/j.issn.1007-7545.2023.07.016 |
| KeyWord:Uranium tailings；water body；metals；sourse analysis；Health Risk Assessment |
| Author | Institution |
| WENG Xing-pan |
东华理工大学 |
| LIU Yuan-yuan |
东华理工大学 |
| GAO Bai |
东华理工大学 |
| CHEN Gong-xi |
东华理工大学 |
| WEN Qi |
东华理工大学 |
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| Abstract: |
| The pollution characteristics and health risk assessment of metals in the water body near a uranium tailing reservoir in Southern China were investigated to determine the spatial distribution and characterization of metals. Multivariate statistical methods were employed to investigate the metal sources. Health risk assessment model recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was used to assess the possible health risks caused by those metals. The results show that the average concentration of Fe, Mn, Al, Sb and Mo is higher than the Class Ⅲ water quality standard limit specified in the Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water (GB 3838—2002), and the exceeding rate is 50.0%, 85.7%, 85.7%, 64.2% and 78.6%, respectively. The maximum and average concentrations of Mo are 145.7 and 26.9 times of the standard limits. The maximum and average concentrations of U and Th are higher than the emission limits of radionuclides, indicating that the surrounding water bodies and rivers are polluted by metals due to the uranium tailings ponds. According to the relevant analysis, Pb, Mn, Al and Cu have the same source and geochemical characteristics, and exhibit similar distribution characteristics. As and Mo are the main associated heavy metals of nuclide U in uranium tailings reservoir area, and their distributions are obviously affected by tailings reservoir. As is associated with uranium enrichment and mobilization, suggesting that the distribution and concentration of As has an indication significance of uranium level in the water body. The principal component analysis demonstrates that the first principal component elements, Fe, Mn, Al, Cu, Pb and Ni, are mainly affected by the geological environment and soil-forming process, and the second principal components, Cr, As, U and Mo, are mainly controlled by the activities of uranium tailings ponds. The health risk assessment indicates that both the total health risk of children and adults are lower than the maximum acceptable level recommended by ICRP and USEPA. The health risk of metals through the drinking path is 2—3 orders of magnitude higher than that caused by skin contact, and the total health risk of children is greater than that of adults. The total health risk level of carcinogenic metals is much higher than that of non-carcinogenic metals, with a difference of 3—4 orders of magnitude. The average carcinogenic risk of different groups (children and adults) caused by radionuclides is between 10-6 a-1 and 10-4 a-1, indicating that the water around the uranium tailings ponds may have potential carcinogenic threats to human beings. |
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