Heavy Metal Concentrations in the Groundwater of the Barcellona-Milazzo Plain (Italy): Contributions from Geogenic and Anthropogenic Sources

Assessment of water quality, trace metal pollution, source apportionment and health risks in the groundwater of Chakwal, Pakistan

Groundwater quality evaluation is the main concern in the regions like Chakwal where it is major source of water for drinking and irrigation due to low storage capacity of the surface water and lack of proper irrigation system. The aim of the present study was to evaluate various physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, TDS, DO, TA, TH and chlorides) and selected essential/toxic trace metal concentrations (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Sr, Li, Ag, Zn, Fe, Cu, Co, Mn, Cr, Cd, and Pb) in order to explore their distribution, correlation, spatial variations and health risk assessment. Average concentration of some trace metals (Co, Cd and Pb) and physicochemical parameters (EC, TDS, and alkalinity) were found to exceed the national/international standards. Multivariate methods of analysis showed strong associations among Fe-Li-K, Sr-Mg-Ca, Cd-Mn, Cu-Zn, Ag-Co, and Cr-Pb-Na which were significantly contributed by anthropogenic activities. Irrigation water quality index exhibited intermediate suitability of the groundwater for irrigation purpose. Health risk evaluation of the trace metals revealed significant non-carcinogenic risks for Cd, Co and Pb (HQ_ing > 1) especially for children. Similarly, significant carcinogenic risk was found to be associated with Pb and Cr which exceeded the safe limit, suggesting the lifetime carcinogenic risk associated with these metals in the groundwater. The present health risk problems should be considered on top priority and immediate actions should be taken to safeguard the water quality in the study area.

Levels of trace elements in human hair samples of adolescents living near petrochemical plants

The aim of the study is a comparative analysis to investigate human hair metal profiles of adolescents residing near petrochemical plants (Sicily, Italy). We selected the small town of Augusta, Gela, and Pace del Mela, and a control area made up of the towns characterized by low anthropogenic activity. Twenty trace elements were measured in samples of scalp hair from adolescents (11-14 years old) of both genders. Hair samples were cleaned using a rigorous cleaning method, mineralized, and processed for analyses by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In industrial sites, zinc was always the most abundant element, ranging from186 to 217 μg g^-1. Following zinc, the elements Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, and Sr were in the range 1-20 μg g^-1. The remaining elements had concentrations < 1 μg g^-1. The comparison with adolescents living in suburban area highlighted that As, Ba, Mn, Sr, U, and V have the highest median concentrations in an industrial location. An industrial factor (As, Mn, Sr, U, and V) and an urban factor (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, and Sb) were distinguished by the multivariate statistical analysis between a cohort residing in urban and industrial areas. Statistically significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.05) between the genders were found for Ba, Mn, Ni, Sr, and V in all industrial sites with median concentrations higher in females' hair than males'. The data confirm that the study areas are heavily affected by industrial and urban emissions of metals and metalloids, representing a potential hazard to the local population.

Determination of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals in groundwater for human and animal consumption and crop irrigation in Galicia

Pharmaceuticals and heavy metals are contaminants present in groundwaters, which are the main source of drinking water in most parts of the world. In the northwest region of Spain, Galicia, groundwater harvesting is a common practice for drinking water supply, crop irrigation, cattle watering, as well as recreational use such as filling pools. In order to assess the quality of Galician groundwaters, the presence of 21 pharmaceuticals and 10 heavy metals was analysed by UPLC-MS/MS and ICP/MS methods, respectively, in a total of 118 groundwater samples from private wells. Seventeen of the 21 compounds studied were detected in 28% of the samples, with the highest presence of pharmaceuticals belonging to the antimicrobial group (52%), specifically the sulphonamides group in a range of concentration between 21 and 14.9 ng/L. In addition, 30% of the samples contained at least one heavy metal (Mn, As and Fe) above the legally permitted levels. Evaluation of the risk associated with the consumption of the analysed groundwater indicated no human risk for any of the detected pharmaceuticals but high cancer risk for children due to Cd, Cr and As concentrations was observe.

Groundwater pollution: Occurrence, detection, and remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants

Groundwater pollution is a result of natural and anthropogenic activities. While the elevated levels of various inorganic constituents could be attributed to natural processes, such as geological weathering and aquifer characteristics, many times, anthropogenic activities also substantially pollute the groundwater. On the contrary, the occurrence of organic pollutants is primarily due to various anthropogenic activities. Extensive groundwater mining, the hydraulic connection between groundwater and other surface water bodies, and leaking underground buried infrastructure also contribute to groundwater pollution. Water resources are scarce commodities, and preserving groundwater quality is of critical concern. This paper documents instances of groundwater quality impact during the year 2019 due to both natural and anthropogenic activities throughout the world. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Groundwater pollution problems reported during the year 2019 are reviewed and documented. Occurrence of organic, inorganic, and microbial pollutants in groundwater is reported. Remediation technologies for selected inorganic pollutants are reviewed and documented.

Source apportionment of potentially toxic elements in soils using APCS/MLR, PMF and geostatistics in a typical industrial and mining city in Eastern China

Source apportionment of potentially toxic elements in soils is a critical step for devising soil sustainable management strategies. However, misjudgment or imprecision can occur when traditional statistical methods are applied to identify and apportion the sources. The main objective of the study was to develop a robust approach composed of the absolute principal component score/multiple linear regression (APCS/MLR) receptor model, positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor model and geostatistics to identify and apportion sources of soil potentially toxic elements in typical industrial and mining city, eastern China. APCS/MLR and PMF were applied to provide robust factors with contribution rates. The geostatistics coupled with the variography and kriging methods was used to present factors derived from these two receptor models. The results indicated that mean concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn exceeded the local background levels. Based on multivariate receptor models and geostatistics, we determined four sources of eight potentially toxic elements including natural source (parent material), agricultural practices, pollutant emissions (industrial, mining and traffic) and the atmospheric deposition of coal combustion, which accounted for 68%, 12%, 12% and 9% of the observed potentially toxic element concentrations, respectively. This study provides a reliable and robust approach for potentially toxic elements source apportionment in this particular industrial and mining city with a clear potential for future application in other regions.