REVIEW PAPER
Environmental Quality and Human Health Risk
of Urban Groundwater Sources Based
on Hydrochemical Analysis: a Case Study
of Suzhou, China
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1
School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
2
Anhui and Huaihe Water Conservancy Science Research Institute, Hefei 230009, China
3
Anhui Survey and Design Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Company Limited, Hefei 230008, China
Submission date: 2022-06-02
Final revision date: 2022-07-23
Acceptance date: 2022-07-25
Online publication date: 2022-10-17
Publication date: 2022-12-08
Corresponding author
Lijuan Wang
School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Tun xi road, 230009, He Fei, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(6):5519-5532
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ABSTRACT
Groundwater is the main water supply in Suzhou City in China. In recent years, heavy metal
contamination of urban groundwater sources has become a serious threat to water quality and human
health. Groundwater samples from 87 monitoring wells were collected in the study area and analyzed
using ICP-MS spectrometry, their major heavy metals concentrations have been analyzed by a series
of chemical and statistical indexes for the evaluation of pollution status and dinking suitability. We
found that heavy metals are evenly distributed in the groundwater source, 10% of the samples were of
excellent quality and 75% were deemed good; however, 70% of the samples exceeded the allowed Mn
content. In 62% of the samples, the carcinogenic risk of As exceeded the recommended levels. Based
on the non-carcinogenic health risk values, the metals could be ordered as follows: Mn>Fe>Pb>Cu>
As>Zn. Mn accounted for 71% of health risk, and the total health risk was mostly due to excess As.
Therefore, the levels of As, Mn, and other heavy metal elements in this region warrant urgent regulatory
strategies and methods to reduce the Mn concentration should be continuously investigated.