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Guo M, Gao S, Wu Q, Xia H, Wu P, Zeng J, Wang W. Dissolved trace elements in the upper reaches of Lancang River, southeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Current status and distribution, risk and source. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 260:119749. [PMID: 39117057 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The environmental impact of dissolved trace element (DTE) pollution is becoming increasingly well understood. The southeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a region with high environmental vulnerability, making it highly susceptible to various anthropogenic disturbances. The Lancang River (LCR), as the most representative river in this area, serving as the largest international river in Southeast Asia, the LCR is crucial for the downstream regions, supporting fisheries, agriculture, and even economic development, earning it the title of the "water tower" for these areas. This study mainly focuses on the upstream unbuilt dam area. In this study, we gathered 25 surface water samples from the upstream of the LCR and examined the geographical distribution, primary sources, and associated human health risks of seven dissolved trace elements (Mn, Cr, Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn). Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu in the main stream are primarily associated with natural sources, including rock weathering, soil erosion, and similar processes. Mn, however, predominantly originates from human activities such as industrial construction and road transportation. Zn mainly originates from the specialized fertilizers used for highland barley in plateau regions. Almost all DTE concentrations exhibited a downward trend from upstream to downstream. However, due to inputs from various sources along the way, there will be some abnormal points. The concentrations of DTE in the study area were within the acceptable limits set by drinking water standards in China, the USA, and the WHO. Overall, the water quality in this region is considered good. The results from a Monte Carlo simulation assessing health risks indicate that the non-carcinogenic health risk caused by DTE in the upper reaches of Lancang River was very weak. The primary pathway through which DTE can harm human health is ingestion, with children being particularly vulnerable. These findings offer a critical scientific basis for understanding the migration of DTE in aquatic environments and for the ecological stewardship of the Lancang River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhe Guo
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Shilin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Qixin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
| | - Hao Xia
- Power China GuiYang Engineering Corporation Limited, Guiyang, 550081, China.
| | - Pan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Jie Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Wanfa Wang
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
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Wang J, Hu H, Lin K, Wei X, Beiyuan J, Xiong X, Wan Y, Deng P, Wu H, Kang M, Liu J, Dong X. Pb isotopic fingerprinting of uranium pollution: New insight on uranium transport in stream-river sediments. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 472:134417. [PMID: 38691992 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Uranium mill tailings (UMT) present a significant environmental concern due to high levels of radioactive and toxic elements, including uranium (U), thorium (Th), and lead (Pb), which can pose serious health risks to aquatic ecosystems. While Pb isotopic tracers have been widely utilized in environmental studies to identify elemental sources and geological processes, their application in U geochemistry remains relatively limited. In this study, we investigate the distribution and migration of U in stream-river sediments surrounding a decommissioned U hydrometallurgical area, employing Pb isotopes as tracers. Our findings reveal significant enrichment and ecological risk of U, Pb, and Th in the sediments. Uranium predominantly associates with quartz and silicate minerals, and its dispersion process is influenced by continuous leaching and precipitation cycles of typical U-bearing minerals. Furthermore, we establish a compelling positive relationship (r2 = 0.97) between 208Pb/207Pb and 206Pb/207Pb in the stream-river sediments and sediment derived from UMT. Application of a binary Pb mixing model indicates that anthropogenic hydrometallurgical activities contribute to 2.5-62.7% of the stream-river sediments. Notably, these values are lower than the 6.6-89.6% recorded about 10 years ago, prior to the decommissioning of the U hydrometallurgical activity. Our results underscore the continued risk of U pollution dispersion even after decommission, highlighting the long-term environmental impact of UMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiyao Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke Lin
- Earth Observatory of Singapore and Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Xudong Wei
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingzi Beiyuan
- School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinni Xiong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuebing Wan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Pengyuan Deng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Hanyu Wu
- Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Mingliang Kang
- Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Juan Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, 510006 Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xuhui Dong
- School of Geography and Remote Sensing, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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