Abstract:
This paper is the result of environmental geological survey engineering.
Objective With the purpose of evaluating health risk of heavy metals in the typical Oats Production Region of Bashang area in Zhangjiakou, oats fields in Zhangbei County were selected as the research site, and atmospheric dry and wet depositions, groundwater samples, topsoils and oats point-to-point samples were systematically collected to determine health risk of heavy metals.
Methods Health risk assessment mode were used to evaluate non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of topsoils, air depositions and groundwater samples, single target hazard quotient (THQ) and comprehensive target hazard quotient (TTHQ) were used to assess the health risk of heavy metals in oats to human health.
Results The result showed that carcinogenic element Cr, and non-carcinogenic elements Pb and Cu in the groundwater of study area pose health risks, with Pb being the major factor contributing to the health risk of heavy metals in groundwater. There was no non-carcinogenic health risk of heavy metals found in the atmosphere. Among the carcinogenic elements, Cr, As and Ni posed certain carcinogenic risk. There was no carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic risk of heavy metals in the soil samples of the study area; Cu, Zn and Ni in some oats seed samples exhibited health risks to both adults and children, with mean values of THQ for children being higher than 1, and THQ and TTHQ risk values were both higher in children than adults.
Conclusions Through the comprehensive health risk assessment of heavy metals in typical oats production region of Bashang area in Zhangjiakou, it was found that heavy metals in this area pose relatively little health risks to humans, but attention needs to be paid to their impact on children’s health, and some heavy metals need to be monitored for risk.