Relationship between groundwater cadmium and vicinity resident urine cadmium levels in the non-ferrous metal smelting area, China

doi:10.1007/s11783-023-1656-6

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

2023, Vol. 17

Issue (5) : 56 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-023-1656-6

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Relationship between groundwater cadmium and vicinity resident urine cadmium levels in the non-ferrous metal smelting area, China

Yujie Pan¹, Yalan Li², Hongxia Peng³, Yiping Yang², Min Zeng⁴, Yang Xie^5,⁶, Yao Lu^2,⁷(

), Hong Yuan^2,⁸(

)

¹. College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100091, China
². Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
³. Department of Geography, School of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430079, China
⁴. Wuhan Geological Survey Center of China Geological Survey, Wuhan 430205, China
⁵. School of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
⁶. Laboratory for Low-carbon Intelligent Governance, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
⁷. School of Life Course Sciences, King’s College London, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
⁸. Department of Cardiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China

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Abstract

● This study systematically examined the relationship between groundwater Cd and UCL.

● The study covered 211 UCL and sociological characteristic from nine groundwater samples.

● We found a significant positive correlation between groundwater Cd and UCL.

● Smoking status and education level also significantly affected UCL.

Cadmium (Cd) has received widespread attention owing to its persistent toxicity and non-degradability. Cd in the human body is mainly absorbed from the external environment and is usually assessed using urinary Cd. Hunan Province is the heartland of the Chinese non-ferrous mining area, where several serious Cd pollution events have occurred, including high levels of Cd in the urine of residents. However, the environmental factors influencing high urinary Cd levels (UCLs) in nearby residents remain unclear. Therefore, 211 nearby residents’ UCLs and the corresponding sociological characteristics from nine groundwater samples in this area were analyzed using statistical analysis models. Groundwater Cd concentration ranged from 0.02 to 1.15 μg/L, aligning with class III of the national standard; the range of UCL of nearby residents was 0.37–36.60 μg/L, exceeding the national guideline of 0–2.5 μg/L. Groundwater Cd levels were positively correlated with the UCL (P < 0.001, correlation coefficient 95 % CI = 9.68, R² = 0.06). In addition, sociological characteristics, such as smoking status and education level, also affect UCL. All results indicate that local governments should strengthen the prevention and abatement of groundwater Cd pollution. This study is the first to systematically evaluate the relationship between groundwater Cd and UCL using internal and external environmental exposure data. These findings provide essential bases for relevant departments to reduce Cd exposure in regions where the heavy metal industry is globally prevalent.

Keywords Groundwater Cd Urinary Cd level Relationship Non-ferrous metal smelting area China

Corresponding Author(s): Yang Xie,Yao Lu,Hong Yuan

Issue Date: 30 November 2022

Cite this article:

Yujie Pan,Yalan Li,Hongxia Peng, et al. Relationship between groundwater cadmium and vicinity resident urine cadmium levels in the non-ferrous metal smelting area, China[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2023, 17(5): 56.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-023-1656-6
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2023/V17/I5/56

Tab.1 Sampling point and Cd concentration of groundwater and urine

Fig.1 Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks of heavy metals in groundwater.

Tab.2 Descriptive statistical analysis table (statistics of groundwater concentration, urine concentration, and sociological characteristics of 211 participants)

Fig.2 Relationship between total Cd of groundwater samples and UCL of urine samples of residents.

Fig.3 The comprehensive effects of groundwater Cd and sociodemographic factors on UCL.

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