Ecological health risk assessment of soil heavy metals in Wuyuan County, Inner Mongolia

This paper is the result of environmetal geological survey engineering.

Objective Wuyuan County is located in the Hetao Plain. To find out the heavy metal pollution status of the farmland soil in Wuyuan County, 1985 surface soil samples, 30 crop samples, and 5 drinking water samples were collected, and the contents of eight heavy metal elements, such As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn were analyzed and determined.

Methods The heavy metal pollution degree and health risks of the soil, crops, and drinking water were evaluated using the soil accumulation index and Nemerow comprehensive pollution index methods and a health risk assessment model.

Results The Nemerow comprehensive pollution index showed that the soil in this area was still largely unpolluted, and there was only light pollution of As in some areas. According to the human health risk assessment, ingestion of soil through the mouth or skin is a carcinogenic risk to residents (9.97×10⁻⁶), and ingestion of As in drinking water is a certain health risk to residents (1.62).

Conclusion Hg is greatly influenced by humans, and there were obvious strong anomalies in Sankou near the Ring Road in Wuyuan County. The other elements were mainly controlled by the parent material. The local content of As was high in Jianfeng Farm and other places, which exceeded the risk screening value. Thus, As contributed the most to the drinking water health risk and should be a cause for concern.