Relationship between groundwater cadmium and vicinity resident urine cadmium levels in the non-ferrous metal smelting area, China

Highlights

● This study systematically examined the relationship between groundwater Cd and UCL.

● The study covered 211 UCL and sociological characteristic from nine groundwater samples.

● We found a significant positive correlation between groundwater Cd and UCL.

● Smoking status and education level also significantly affected UCL.

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) has received widespread attention owing to its persistent toxicity and non-degradability. Cd in the human body is mainly absorbed from the external environment and is usually assessed using urinary Cd. Hunan Province is the heartland of the Chinese non-ferrous mining area, where several serious Cd pollution events have occurred, including high levels of Cd in the urine of residents. However, the environmental factors influencing high urinary Cd levels (UCLs) in nearby residents remain unclear. Therefore, 211 nearby residents’ UCLs and the corresponding sociological characteristics from nine groundwater samples in this area were analyzed using statistical analysis models. Groundwater Cd concentration ranged from 0.02 to 1.15 μg/L, aligning with class III of the national standard; the range of UCL of nearby residents was 0.37–36.60 μg/L, exceeding the national guideline of 0–2.5 μg/L. Groundwater Cd levels were positively correlated with the UCL (P < 0.001, correlation coefficient 95 % CI = 9.68, R² = 0.06). In addition, sociological characteristics, such as smoking status and education level, also affect UCL. All results indicate that local governments should strengthen the prevention and abatement of groundwater Cd pollution. This study is the first to systematically evaluate the relationship between groundwater Cd and UCL using internal and external environmental exposure data. These findings provide essential bases for relevant departments to reduce Cd exposure in regions where the heavy metal industry is globally prevalent.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Groundwater Cd / Urinary Cd level / Relationship / Non-ferrous metal smelting area / China

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81800393, 82170437, and 41877297); the Outstanding Young Investigator of Hunan province (No. 2020JJ2056); the Hunan Youth Talent Project (No. 2019RS2014); the Key Research and Development Project of Hunan (No. 2020WK2010); the National Key Research and Development Program (No. 2018YFC1311300); and the Investigation and Evaluation of Groundwater Pollution in Key Areas of Central and South China by China Geological Survey (No. 12120114029601). The founder had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, reporting, or the decision to submit for publication.

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