scholarly journals Hydrochemical Characteristics, Toxic Element Sources, and Health Risk Assessment of Surface Waters in the Amu Darya Basin of Uzbekistan, arid Central Asia

Author(s):  
Shuie Zhan ◽  
Jinglu Wu ◽  
Miao Jin

Abstract As the core of arid Central Asia, Uzbekistan is experiencing prominent water scarcity with increasingly warming climate and accelerated human impact. To determine the hydrochemical characteristics and sources of toxic elements, as well as to assess water quality and health risks in Uzbekistan, 55 surface water samples were collected from the Amu Darya Basin of Uzbekistan (ADBU) and monitored for 20 parameters. A hierarchical cluster analysis showed that river water samples from the middle reach and Amu Darya Delta (ADD) were dominantly HCO3-Ca and SO4-Ca·Mg type, respectively. While the water samples collected near the former shoreline of the ADD and sewage outlets were dominantly Cl-Ca·Mg and Cl-Na types, which were consistent with the distribution of sites with high concentrations of toxic elements, seriously affected by human activities. Furthermore, principal component analysis indicated that the toxic elements of Pb and Cd in surface waters of the ADBU had industrial origins; local agricultural activities were considered to have contributed much of the NO3, Zn, Ni, Hg and Mn through pesticides and fertilizers; and Cu, Cr, As, and Co were controlled by mixed anthropogenic and natural sources. The results of water quality and health risk assessment also suggested that unsuitable drinking waters were displayed near the former shoreline of the ADD region and sewage outlets, and human health risks also occurred these areas.

Author(s):  
Jiankang Wang ◽  
Bo Gao ◽  
Shuhua Yin ◽  
Dongyu Xu ◽  
Laisheng Liu ◽  
...  

Simultaneous ecological and health risk assessments of potentially toxic elements in soils and sediments can provide substantial information on their environmental influence at the river-basin scale. Herein, soil and sediment samples were collected from the Guishui River basin to evaluate the pollution situation and the ecological and health risk of potentially toxic elements. Various indexes were utilized for quantitatively assessing their health risks. Pollution assessment by geo-accumulation index showed that Cd had “uncontaminated to moderately polluted” status in the soils and sediments. Potential ecological risk index showed that the Guishui River basin was at low risk in general, but Cd was classified as “moderate or considerable ecological risk” both in the soils and sediments. Health risk assessment calculated human exposure from soils and indicated that both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of the selected potentially toxic elements were lower than the acceptable levels. Health risks posed by potentially toxic elements bio-accumulated in fish, stemming from sediment resuspension, were also assessed. Non-carcinogenic hazard index indicated no adverse health effects on humans via exposure to sediments; however, in general, Cr contributed largely to health risks among the selected potentially toxic elements. Therefore, special attention needs to be paid to the Guishui River basin in the future.


2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1130-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaheen Begum ◽  
Mohammad Tahir Shah ◽  
Said Muhammad ◽  
Sardar Khan

This study investigates the drinking water (groundwater and surface water) quality and potential risk assessment along mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provence, Pakistan. For this purpose, 82 groundwater and 33 surface water samples were collected and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters. Results showed that the majority of the physico-chemical parameters were found to be within the drinking water guidelines set by the World Health Organization. However, major cationic metals such as magnesium (Mg), and trace metals (TM) including iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr) and cobalt (Co) showed exceeded concentrations in 13%, 4%, 2%, 20%, 20% and 55% of water samples, respectively. Health risk assessment revealed that the non-carcinogenic effects or hazard quotient values through the oral ingestion pathway of water consumption for the TM (viz., Fe, Cr and Mn) were found to be greater than 1, could result in chronic risk to the exposed population. Results of statistical analyses revealed that mafic and ultramafic rocks are the main sources of metal contamination in drinking water, especially Ni and Cr. Both Ni and Cr have toxic health effects and therefore this study suggests that contaminated sites should be avoided or treated for drinking and domestic purposes.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 613
Author(s):  
Samantha Jiménez-Oyola ◽  
Kenny Escobar Segovia ◽  
María-Jesús García-Martínez ◽  
Marcelo Ortega ◽  
David Bolonio ◽  
...  

Anthropogenic activities performed in the Ecuadorian Amazon have released potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the rivers, causing severe environmental pollution and increasing the risk of exposure to the residents of the surrounding areas. This study aims to carry out a human health risk assessment using deterministic and probabilistic methods to estimate the hazard index (HI) and total cancer risk (TCR) related to multi-pathway human exposure to PTEs in polluted rivers. Concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in surface water and sediment samples from rivers on the Ecuadorian Amazon were considered to assess the potential adverse human health effects. As a result, deterministic and probabilistic estimations of cancer and non-cancer risk through exposure to surface waters and sediments were above the safety limit. A sensitivity analysis identified the concentration of PTEs and the exposure duration (ED) as the two most important variables for probabilistic health risk assessment. The highest risk for receptors was related to exposure to polluted sediments through incidental ingestion and dermal contact routes. According to the deterministic estimation, the human health risk through ingestion of water was above the threshold in specific locations. This study reveals the potential health risk to which the population is exposed. This information can be used as a baseline to develop public strategies to reduce anthropogenic pollution and exposure to PTEs in Ecuadorian Amazon rivers.


2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 505-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Phillips ◽  
R. E. Glasgow ◽  
G. Bello ◽  
M. G. Ory ◽  
B. A. Glenn ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Reza Aghlmand ◽  
Saeed Rasi Nezami ◽  
Ali Abbasi

In recent years, in addition to water resources’ quantity, their quality has also received much attention. In this study, the quality of the urban water distribution network in northwestern Iran was evaluated using the water quality index (WQI) method. Then, some important trace elements were investigated, and finally, the health risk assessment was evaluated for both carcinogenic elements (Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, and As) and non-carcinogenic elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, F, NO3, and Cu) using carcinogenic risk (CR) and hazard quotient (HQ), respectively. In the present study, the WQI was calculated based on both World Health Organization (WHO) and Iranian drinking water standards. Comparing the results of these standards revealed that the WQI based on the Iranian standard was slightly higher. Regarding the calculated WQI for the study region, the status of water quality for drinking consumption is in the good water quality class (25 < WQI < 50). It was observed that Cu and Cd have the highest and lowest concentrations in all sampling points, respectively. Hazard Index (HI) results showed that the non-carcinogenic substances studied had a low risk for both adults and children (<1.0). However, the CR results showed that Ni, Cd, and As were above the desired level for both children and adults. The results of this study can be applied for efficient water management and human health protection programs in the study area.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-40
Author(s):  
Galina Yotova ◽  
◽  
Svetlana Lazarova ◽  
Veronika Mihaylova ◽  
Tony Venelinov ◽  
...  

Surface water samples in Ogosta River, Bulgaria and wastewater samples at the inlet and outlet of WWTP–Montana were tested for the traditional parameters and ecotoxicological effect. The river and Dam surface waters comply with category A1 of Directive 75/440/EEC for pH, EC, COD, TSS, NO3–, Cl–, SO42–, B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V and Zn; with category A2 for BOD5, NH4+–N and Fe; and with category A3 for TNb and As. The average annual concentrations of Al, Cr (III), Cr (VI) and U are lower than the set limits in the Water Framework Directive. Arsenic concentration in all the samples exceeds the maximum allowed concentration, a results from natural processes. All the levels of the studied parameters in the outlet wastewater samples are lower than the limits, set in Directive 91/271/EEC and in the complex permit of the WWTP. The results of the biotest Phytotoxkit F™ show low ecotoxicity of the water samples. Optimization of the sample pretreatment prior to this ecotoxicological test is analyzed and discussed.


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