Investigation, Pollution Mapping and Simulative Leakage Health Risk Assessment for Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Groundwater from a Typical Brownfield, Middle China

Abstract

Heavy metal and metalloid (Cr, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, As and Hg) concentrations in groundwater from 19 typical sites throughout a typical brownfield were detected. Mean concentrations of toxic metals in groundwater decreased in the order of Cr > Zn > Cu > Cd > Ni > Pb > Hg > As. Concentration of Cr⁶⁺ in groundwater was detected to further study chromium contamination. Cr⁶⁺ and Cd in groundwater were recommended as the priority pollutants because they were generally 1399-fold and 12-foldgreater than permissible limits, respectively. Owing to the fact that a waterproof curtain (WPC) in the brownfield is about to pass the warranty period, a steady two-dimensional water quality model and health risk assessment were applied to simulate and evaluate adverse effects of Cr^{6 +} and Cd on the water quality of Xiangjiang River and the drinking-water intake of Wangcheng Waterworks. The results indicated that when groundwater in the brownfield leaked with valid curtain prevention, the water quality in Xiangjiang River and drinking-water intake downstream were temporarily unaffected. However, if there was no curtain prevention, groundwater leakage would have adverse impact on water quality of Xiangjiang River. Under the requirements of Class III surface water quality, the pollution belt for Cr⁶⁺ was 7500 m and 200 m for Cd. The non-carcinogenic risk of toxic metals in Xiangjiang River exceeded the threshold in a limited area, but did not threaten Wangcheng Waterworks. By contrast, the carcinogenic risk area for adults was at a transverse distance of 200 m and a longitudinal distance of 18,000 m, which was close to the Wangcheng Waterworks (23,000 m). Therefore, it was essential to reconstruct the WPC in the brownfield for preventing pollution diffusion.

Keywords: brownfield groundwater quality; health risk mapping; simulative leakage assessment; steady two-dimensional attenuation model; toxic metals.

Figure 1

Map of groundwater sampling sites in the brownfield.

Figure 2

Spatial distribution of Cd (a); Cr (b); Cr⁶⁺ (c); Pb (d); Ni (e); Zn (f); Hg (g) and Cu (h) in the groundwater of the brownfield.

Figure 3

Spatial distribution of Cr⁶⁺ (a,b) and Cd (c,d) in groundwater at depths of 5 m and 15 m.

Figure 4

Spatial distribution of hazard index (HI) for children (a) and adults (b) during groundwater leakage with a waterproof curtain.

Figure 5

Spatial distribution of hazard index (HI) for children (a) and adults (b) during groundwater leakage without a waterproof curtain *. * The red region represents that the risk is unacceptable in longitudinal direction, but does not take the transverse range into consideration.

Figure 6

Spatial distribution of carcinogenic risk (CR) for children (a) and adults (b) during groundwater leakage with a waterproof curtain.

Figure 7

Spatial distribution of carcinogenic risk (CR) for children (a) and adults (b) during groundwater leakage without a waterproof curtain *. *The red region represents that the risk is unacceptable in longitudinal direction, but does not take the transverse range into consideration.