Heavy metal(loid) contamination in shallow groundwater poses increasing risks to drinking water safety and human health in agricultural plain areas. In this study, 39 shallow groundwater samples collected from rural wells in Huaiyuan County, northern Anhui Plain, China, were analyzed for seven heavy metal(loid)s (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, As, and Mo). The mean concentrations followed the order Mn > Ni > Cr > Zn > Mo > As > Co, and all elements exhibited high spatial variability (CV > 100%). Exceedances of the Chinese Class III groundwater quality standard were observed for Cr, Mn, Ni, As, and Mo, with Ni (43.6%) and Mn (38.5%) showing the highest exceedance rates. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed that groundwater heavy metal(loid)s were mainly controlled by two dominant factors: (i) a transition-metal enrichment factor related to lithogenic background and diffuse anthropogenic disturbance, and (ii) a localized factor controlling the co-occurrence of As and Mo. Human health risk assessment indicated that Co and Mo were the major contributors to non-carcinogenic risk, whereas As dominated the carcinogenic risk. Monte Carlo simulation showed that children faced the highest non-carcinogenic risk, with a mean HI exceeding the safety threshold and an exceedance probability of 28.2%. For carcinogenic risk, As posed a substantial threat, and the exceedance probabilities of total carcinogenic risk reached 67.8%, 66.1%, and 37.0% for adult females, adult males, and children, respectively. These findings demonstrate that shallow groundwater in the study area is affected by both natural hydrogeochemical processes and localized external disturbance and that As, Co, and Mo should be prioritized in groundwater risk management.
Han et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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