Risk assessment and source apportionment of trace elements in multiple compartments in the lower reach of the Jinsha River, China.

ABSTRACT: Studies on trace element (TE) pollution in abiotic matrices have typically focused on water, sediment, and soil, either separately or in pairs. The importance of multi-media connectivity has been ignored. This study analyzed the concentrations of 6 TEs in three connected environmental compartments of a 28-km section of the lower reach of the Jinsha River. The ecological risk posed by TEs was higher in soil than in sediment. The contribution of exposure pathways to human health risk were ranked as ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation. An improved regional environmental risk index (RERI) method was then developed to evaluate the comprehensive risk on both ecology and human health caused by TEs. The average RERI value was generally higher in the wet season (0.42) than in the dry (0.41) and

SUBMITTER: He W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8501140 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature