Application of magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal bioaccessibility to assessments of urban sandstorm contamination and health risks: Case studies from Dunhuang and Lanzhou, Northwest China

Abstract

Direct ingestion of sandstorm particles is an important pathway in human exposure to heavy metals. This study investigated the potential health risks of heavy metals transported in sandstorms from Dunhuang to Lanzhou in northwestern China using environmental magnetic parameters and metal bioaccessibilities in simulated gastric and intestinal tracts. The mean magnetic susceptibility of sandstorms in Lanzhou was 366.86 × 10−8 m3/kg, which was more than 5-fold higher than that of sandstorms in Dunhuang, indicating that these sandstorms continuously receive heavy metals with high magnetic mineral content along their pathways. Heavy metal concentrations in sandstorms were higher than background values and those in urban topsoil. Enrichment factors and pollution load indices showed that these heavy metals were derived from both natural and anthropogenic sources, with Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd being strongly influenced by anthropogenic sources. The bioaccessibilities of Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb in the sandstorms of Lanzhou were very high, ranging from 22.69% (Cu) to 50.86% (Pb) for gastric phase, and 12.07% (Pb)–22.11% (Cd) for interstinal phase, with the significant reduction in χlf of the physiologically-based extraction testing (PBET) treated sandstorms. The magnetic minerals are significant correlation with the concentrations of heavy metals in sandstorm and effect the release of heavy metals during human digestion process. The overall ecological risk posed by heavy metals contained in sandstorms was relatively low; however, the risk was moderate to high at individual sites. Ingestion posed the highest carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for both adults and children, with the risk for children being higher.