Toxics, Vol. 13, Pages 1073: Priority Control of Agricultural and Traffic Sources of Soil Heavy Metals: An Integrated Source-Oriented Risk Assessment in the Drawdown Zone of the Danjiangkou Reservoir

Toxics doi: 10.3390/toxics13121073

Authors:
Houkuan Ding
Dahai Zeng
Yunni Gao
Xucong Lyu
Jialin Jin
Huatao Yuan
Jingxiao Zhang
Jing Dong
Xiaofei Gao
Penghui Zhu
Xuejun Li
Michele Burford

In recent years, the public environmental protection consciousness has improved regarding the source of drinking water. However, the risk status and sources of heavy metals (HMs) in the soil around drinking water sources remain unclear. The typical Drawdown Zone (DZ) of Danjiangkou Reservoir is taken as an example in this study. Pollution levels of HMs and associated ecological and human health risks were evaluated under four land-use types during the low-water-level period. The sources of 10 HMs were determined using the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model and correlation analysis. Quantitative source-oriented risk identification was then conducted by integrating risk characteristics with source apportionment. The results indicate that soils in the study area are generally slightly polluted, with comprehensive potential ecological risks at a medium level. Farmland soils exhibit the highest pollution and ecological risk levels, particularly for Hg and Cd. Our Monte Carlo simulation-based human health risk assessment shows that, compared with non-carcinogenic risks, carcinogenic risks should be given further attention. Farmland poses higher health risks than other land-use types, and children are more vulnerable than adults. Four main sources were identified: transportation sources (29.5%), agricultural activities (32%), natural sources (19.3%), and atmospheric deposition (19.2%). The source-oriented risk assessment indicates that agricultural activities are the priority control source for ecological risks (64.7%), with Hg as the primary control element. Transportation and agricultural sources are the primary contributors to carcinogenic risks in children (57.1%) and adults (57.1%), with Ni as the primary control element.

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