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Sediment heavy metal pollution and its ecological and health risk assessment in the East Dongting Lake, China
Received:December 26, 2021  Revised:March 18, 2022
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KeyWord:East Dongting Lake;sediment;heavy metal pollution;ecological risk;health risk
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
CAI Changqing College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China  
JIN Changsheng College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China  
CHEN Jia College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China  
WEN Jiajun College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China  
NIE Xiaodong College of Geography Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China  
WANG Lei College of Geography Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China  
LI Zhongwu College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
College of Geography Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China 
lizw@hnu.edu.cn 
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Abstract:
      The concentrations of 10 heavy metals were determined in 65 surface sediment samples collected at East Dongting Lake, including seven functional wetland protection areas, Chenglingji port, a waterway area, urban residential area, tourist area, farmland, and a reed field. The pollution status and human exposure risk of heavy metals in different functional areas were evaluated using the geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor, potential ecological risk index, and health risk assessment method in accordance with the characteristics of human exposure parameters. The results showed that the average concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn were 14.53, 6.49, 70.39, 19.66, 27.91, 933.26, 42.36, 41.48, 93.83 mg·kg-1, and 164.91 mg·kg-1, respectively. The overall pollution status of heavy metals was relatively severe compared to that in other shallow lakes in China. The evaluation results of the geoaccumulation index showed that the pollution level of Cd was severe(Igeo=3.39); however, all other metal levels were relatively mild. The evaluation of the enrichment factor index demonstrated that, except for the remarkable enrichment of Cd(EF=2.78), the other nine metals were all at mild enrichment levels(EF<1). The potential ecological risk index assessment suggested that the potential ecological risk of Cd was extremely high(Eir=662.13), whereas the other nine metals were at a mild level(Eir <10). Ecological risk assessment results from different functional areas ranked in the descending order were as follows:wetland protection area > reed field > waterway area > tourist area > farmland > urban residential area > Chenglingji port area. Human health risk assessment results showed that the non-carcinogenic indices for adults were all within the acceptable range(HI<1). However, the non-carcinogenic risks of As, Cd, and Pb to children exceeded the acceptable level in the waterway area along East Dongting Lake. In summary, the heavy metal pollution in the surface sediments of East Dongting Lake is severe.