ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Non-Carcinogenic Risks Induced by Heavy Metals
in Water from a Chinese River
Ning Liu1, Qin-Yuan Zhu1, Xin Qian1, Li Yang2, Ming-Zhong Dai1,
Xiao-Qing Jiang1, Na Li1, Liu Sun1, Zhi-Chao Liu1, Gen-Fa Lu1
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1State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment,
Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, China
2Nanjing College for Population Program Management, Nanjing 210008, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2012;21(4):967-972
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Our study assessed the non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metals in the sources of drinking water treatment
plants located along Huaihe River in Jiangsu Province, China. High-resolution inductively coupled plasma-
mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy were used to determine
the levels of eight metals in the water from 30 treatment plants. Non-carcinogenic risks induced by the metals
were assessed using the methods recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States.
Among the metals, Fe had the highest concentration and Pb contributed most to the average hazard index (HI)
of 30 TWTPs. Except Pb, each metal had an average concentration below the permissible limit of China and
the United States. The induced non-carcinogenic risks showed temporal and spatial variations. This study
revealed that the metals in the tap water induced negligible public health risks for local residents.