Abstract
A longevity area in Xinjiang, China and an adjacent non-longevity area both have similar climatic and hydrogeological conditions, and the residents of the two control groups have similar ethnic composition, diets and lifestyles. This study investigated if differences in groundwater quality between the longevity area and the non-longevity area are associated with the health of residents in the two control groups. In order to quantitatively describe the groundwater quality of the two control groups and its influence on human health, the Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method (FCEM) was used to compare and assess the overall water environment of the two control groups. Furthermore, the human health risk of groundwater for the two control groups was assessed using the Health Risk Assessment Model recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Results showed that the overall water environment categories for the longevity area and non-longevity area are moderate quality (grade III) and very poor quality (grade V), respectively. The main health risk in the longevity area water environment is the non-carcinogenic risk (HQLLV) caused by Cl−. The main health risks in the non-longevity area water environment are the non-carcinogenic risk (HQCA) caused by Cl− and the carcinogenic risk (RiskCA) caused by As. The total health risk (HRall) caused by over-standard inorganic pollutants in the water environment of the non-longevity area is 3.49 times higher than that of the longevity area. In addition, the study showed that the water environment pollution downstream of the Keriya River is conjunctively caused by agricultural activities and domestic sewage. The overall water environment of the longevity area is more conducive to the health-longevity of residents than the non-longevity area.
Highlights
With the rapid development of China’s social economy, living standards, and medical and health care services are improving continuously
The census data collected by questionnaire surveys and interviews, were statistically analyzed
Each group of samples included a bottle of 550 mL acidified water sample (5 mL concentrated nitric acid was added immediately after sampling as protective agent) and a bottle of 1500 mL original sample
Summary
With the rapid development of China’s social economy, living standards, and medical and health care services are improving continuously. China’s population structure has undergone tremendous changes; the most prominent feature being population aging, which reached a peak in 2000 [1]. The relationship between population aging and health has gained much attention from the government and the public in recent years [2,3]. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 3737; doi:10.3390/ijerph16193737 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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