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Health and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals pollution in an antimony mining region: a case study from South China

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Abstract

In recent years, international research on the toxicity of the heavy metal, antimony, has gradually changed focus from early medical and pharmacological toxicology to environmental toxicology and ecotoxicology. However, little research has been conducted for sources identification and risk management of heavy metals pollution by long-term antimony mining activities. In this study, a large number of investigations were conducted on the temporal and spatial distribution of antimony and related heavy metal contaminants (lead, zinc, and arsenic), as well as on the exposure risks for the population for the Yuxi river basin in the Hunan province, China. The scope of the investigations included mine water, waste rock, tailings, agricultural soil, surface water, river sediments, and groundwater sources of drinking water. Health and ecological risks from exposure to heavy metal pollution were evaluated. The main pollution sources of heavy metals in the Yuxi River basin were analyzed. Remediation programs and risk management strategies for heavy metal pollution were consequently proposed. This article provides a scientific basis for the risk assessment and management of heavy metal pollution caused by antimony basin ore mining.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the key project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51634010), Special Program on Environmental Protection for Public Welfare (No. 201509050), the Project of Innovation-driven Plan in Central South University (No. 2015CX001), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51204074), Pearl River S&T Nova Program of Guangzhou, China (No. 201710010065), and the National Environmental Protection Public Welfare Industry Targeted Research Fund (No. PM-zx703-201701-058).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Jiang-Chi Fei, Xiao-Bo Min & Yan-Jie Liang

  2. Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha, 410083, China

    Xiao-Bo Min, Yan-Jie Liang & Yong Ke

  3. South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China

    Zhen-Xing Wang & Zhi-hua Pang

  4. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, China

    Yong Ke

Authors
  1. Jiang-Chi Fei
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  2. Xiao-Bo Min
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  3. Zhen-Xing Wang
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  4. Zhi-hua Pang
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  5. Yan-Jie Liang
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Correspondence to Xiao-Bo Min or Zhen-Xing Wang.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Fei, JC., Min, XB., Wang, ZX. et al. Health and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals pollution in an antimony mining region: a case study from South China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 27573–27586 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0310-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0310-x

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