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Assessment of non-carcinogenic health risks due to water contamination in a loess distribution area, northeastern China

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Abstract

Surface water and groundwater samples were collected in a loss distribution area, northeastern China, to assess groundwater quality and health risks in a typical loess irrigation area and to provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of groundwater resources. The following results were obtained. (1) The total non-carcinogenic risk values of 14 surface water samples were all lower than 1, which indicates that these surface water samples will not pose non-carcinogenic risk. Drinking water intake is the main exposure pathway of non-carcinogenic risk. (2) Among the 15 phreatic groundwater wells monitored, the total non-carcinogen levels at 6 points exceeded safe levels for children, which indicates that the local groundwater is harmful to children’s health. The order of contaminants contributing to this risk is NO3-N > Mn > Fe > NH4-N > NO2-N. (3) Among the 29 points of confined groundwater monitoring wells, 2 points showed total non-carcinogenic risk values exceeding safe levels for children, which indicates that the local groundwater is unsafe to children health. The order of contaminants contributing to non-carcinogenic risk is NO3-N > Mn > Fe > NH4-N > NO2-N.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41502223, 51379088, 41772239), Jilin Province Science and Technology Development Plan (Grant No. 20170101202JC) and Beijing Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 8164066). The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for comments during the review process that greatly improved the quality of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Construction and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, Jilin, People’s Republic of China

    Shanghai Du, Yingjie Liu & Lijie Zhang

  2. National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of In-situ Conversion, Drilling and Exploitation Technology for Oil Shale, Changchun, 130021, Jilin, People’s Republic of China

    Shanghai Du, Yingjie Liu & Lijie Zhang

  3. Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China

    Hongyan Li

  4. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, People’s Republic of China

    Huan Huan

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  1. Shanghai Du
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  2. Yingjie Liu
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  3. Lijie Zhang
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  4. Hongyan Li
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Correspondence to Lijie Zhang.

Additional information

This article is a part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on Water resources development and protection in loess areas of the world, edited by Drs. Peiyue Li and Hui Qian.

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Du, S., Liu, Y., Zhang, L. et al. Assessment of non-carcinogenic health risks due to water contamination in a loess distribution area, northeastern China. Environ Earth Sci 76, 761 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7097-4

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