Health risk assessment of oral exposure to metals and metalloids in drinking water supplies within a region of Fuchun River Basin from 2017 to 2024
- VernacularTitle:2017—2024年富春江流域某地区生活饮用水中金属及类金属经口摄入健康风险评估
- Author:
Yuwei HONG
1
;
Ming XUE
2
;
Lei WANG
1
;
Huizhen GUO
1
;
Junlin WANG
3
Author Information
- Publication Type:Investigation
- Keywords: drinking water; metal/metalloid element; health risk assessment; oral ingestion; non-carcinogenic risk; carcinogenic risk
- From: Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(11):1322-1329
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Background Water serves as an indispensable resource for human survival and constitutes one of the primary means through which humans are exposed to environmental chemicals. Consequently, the safety of drinking water is critical to safeguarding public health. Objective To analyze the levels of the 10 metal/metalloid indicators [Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Cr(VI), Pb, and Hg] in drinking water from a region of the Fuchun River Basin, and to evaluate the health risks in drinking water through oral ingestion. Methods In accordance with the national Standard Examination Method for Drinking Water – Part 2: Collection and Preservation of Water Samples (GB/T 5750-2006 and GB/T 5750-2023), a total of 2016 drinking water samples were collected from urban and rural water supply systems in a region of the Fuchun Basin from 2017 to 2024. Two batches of water samples were collected annually during the dry and wet seasons, with each batch comprising 72 samples from the urban water supply system and 54 samples from the rural water supply system. These samples were analyzed according to the Standard Examination Method for Drinking Water – Part 6: Metal and Metalloid Indicators (GB/T 5750-2006 and GB/T 5750-2023) and the results were compared with the limits specified in the Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB 5749-2022). Health risks were evaluated using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health risk assessment model. Results All tested metal/metalloid elements in the drinking water samples of the area met the national standards. The results of risk assessment showed that the non-carcinogenic risks associated with oral intake of drinking water, ranked from highest to lowest, were as follows: As>Cr(VI)>Pb>Cd>Hg>Mn>Cu>Zn>Fe>Al, with values of 4.55×10−2, 2.79×10−2, 2.06×10−2, 1.20×10−2, 4.95×10−3, 4.58×10−3, 2.85×10−3, 1.95×10−3, 1.52×10−3, and 9.21×10−4, respectively. The non-carcinogenic risk of each indicator was less than 1, which suggested no potential risk to population health. The carcinogenic risks ranked as Cr(VI)>As>Cd>Pb, with values of 4.18×10−5, 2.05×10−5, 3.85×10−6, and 2.45×10−7, respectively. The carcinogenic risks of Cr(VI), As, and Cd were between 10−6 and 10−4, which suggested an acceptable carcinogenic risk, while the carcinogenic risk of Pb was relatively negligible. Children's total non-carcinogenic/total carcinogenic risks were comparable to those of adult males, both higher than those of adult females. Additionally, rural areas exhibited higher non-carcinogenic/carcinogenic risks for Cr(VI), while those risks for As and Pb were lower than those in urban water samples, and those risks for Cd were comparable between the two. Conclusion The concentrations of the 10 metal/metalloid indicators in drinking water from the studied region in the Fuchun River Basin comply with the national standards from 2017 to 2024. There is a certain carcinogenic risk associated with oral intake of drinking water, but it is still within the acceptable range. In terms of non-carcinogenic risk, no potential threat to population health is anticipated.
