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Risk assessment and vertical distribution of thallium in paddy soils and uptake in rice plants irrigated with acid mine drainage

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The objective of this paper is to assess the influence of irritating paddy fields with acid mine drainage containing thallium (Tl) to rice plant-soil system and potential health risks for local residents. Vertical distribution of Tl, pH, organic matter (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in 24 paddy soil profiles around Yunfu pyrite mine area was investigated. Rice plant samples were collected from the corresponding soil sampling site. The results showed that Tl concentrations in paddy soils at 0–60 cm depth range from 3.07 to 9.42 mg kg−1, with a mean of 5.74 mg kg−1, which were significantly higher than the background value of soil in China (0.58 mg kg−1). On the whole, Tl contents in paddy soil profiles increased quickly with soil depth from 0 to 30 cm and decreased slowly with soil depth from 30 to 60 cm. The soil Tl content was significant negatively correlated with soil pH. The mean content of Tl in the root, stem, leaf, and rice was 4.36, 1.83, 2.74, and 1.42 mg kg−1, respectively, which exceeded the proposed permissible limits for foods and feedstuffs in Germany. The Tl content in various tissues of the rice plants followed the order root > leaf > stem (rice), which suggested that most Tl taken up by rice plants retained in the root, and a little migrated to the leaf, stem, and rice. Correlation analysis showed that Tl content in root was significant positively correlated with Tl content in leaf and rice. The ranges of hazard quotient (HQ) values were 4.08∼24.50 and 3.84∼22.38 for males and females, respectively. Males have higher health risk than females in the same age group. In childhood age groups (2 to <21 years) and adult age groups (21 to <70 years), the highest health risk level was observed in the 11 to 16 age group and 21 to 50 age group, respectively. The findings indicated that regular irrigation with Tl-bearing acid mine drainage led to considerable contamination of Tl in paddy soil and rice plant. Local government should take various measures to treat Tl contamination, especially the tailings.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41301348, No. 41372248, No.41573119) and Guangxi Science Foundation (14125008-2-23).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Waihuan Xi Road 230, Panyu District, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xuexia Huang, Jianyou Long, Dinggui Luo, Xiaowu Huang, Dongmei Li, Yayin Lu & Jianfeng Liang

  2. Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China

    Xuexia Huang, Qihang Wu, Jianyou Long & Dinggui Luo

  3. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China

    Xuexia Huang, Qihang Wu, Jianyou Long & Dinggui Luo

  4. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Environmental Monitoring Station, Nanning, China

    Ning Li

  5. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China

    Ping Zhang

  6. School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China

    Yan Yao

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  1. Xuexia Huang
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  2. Ning Li
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Huang, X., Li, N., Wu, Q. et al. Risk assessment and vertical distribution of thallium in paddy soils and uptake in rice plants irrigated with acid mine drainage. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 24912–24921 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7679-9

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