Heavy Metal(loid)s Pollution of Agricultural Soils and Health Risk Assessment of Consuming Soybean and Wheat in a Typical Non-Ferrous Metal Mine Area in Northeast China

Dexian Li, Guannan Liu, Xiaosai Li, Ruiping Li, Juan Wang and Yuanyi Zhao
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Dexian Li: MNR Key Laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
Guannan Liu: MNR Key Laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
Xiaosai Li: MNR Key Laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
Ruiping Li: MNR Key Laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
Juan Wang: Institute of Energy and Environmental Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering, Beijing 100125, China
Yuanyi Zhao: MNR Key Laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: During mining, some of the essential metal(loid)s for plants or humans are discharged into the environment with non-essential metal(loid)s. Thus, comprehensive investigations of their distribution and the health risk of consuming food crops near mines are significant. A total of 26 soils and 25 food crops (soybean grains and wheat grains) were sampled to investigate arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), and manganese (Mn) in soils and crops in a typical non-ferrous metal mine area in Northeast China. The distribution patterns of soil heavy metal(loid)s and principal component analysis (PCA) results indicated that Cd, Cu, Zn, Mo, and Mn in soils were significantly affected by mining activities and were mainly or partly derived from the mines. Moreover, these soil heavy metal(loid)s (except Se) in the Tongshan copper mine area were attenuated with distance in the downstream direction. The BCF (bioconcentration factor) values of non-essential elements (Se, Hg, Cr, As, Cd, Pb) were relatively lower and positively related to soil nutrients. On the contrary, higher BCF values of essential elements (Cu, Zn, and Mo) and a weak relationship between the BCF of essential elements and soil nutrients were found. The mean I geo values of soil heavy metal(loid)s indicated that As and Cu were at an unpolluted-to-moderately-polluted level (I geo > 1), while other heavy metal(loid)s all presented an unpolluted level (I geo < 1). Nevertheless, some soil samples were obviously polluted (I geo > 1), such as KQ, D1, D3, D5, D6, and T1. The HQ (hazard quotient) and HI (hazard index) values of As and Mn both exceeded 1, indicating the higher potential health risks of consuming soybean grains and wheat grains for all people groups.

Keywords: mine; food crops; soil; heavy metal(loid)s; health risk (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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