CHAPTER 7. Heavy Metal Pollution in Water Resources in China—Occurrences and Public Health Implications

Abstract

Because of their serious acute and chronic toxicity, as well as their wide uses and relevance in human activities, heavy metals have been regarded as priority pollutants worldwide. Heavy metal pollution in water resources can affect the public health directly via tainted drinking water consumption and indirectly via food and soil contamination through irrigation using contaminated water, such as contaminated river water, treated and untreated industrial and domestic wastewaters. In addition to their toxicity, heavy metals tend to accumulate in soils, sediments, plants, aquatic organisms, as well as food crops, domestic animals and humans. The People's Republic of China (‘China’) is no exception in environmental pollution due to toxic heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenic, and their compounds. In this chapter, the current status of heavy metal pollution in the water resources in China are reported and discussed, with respect to relevant water quality standards in different types of water, as well as data for recent occurrence in the water resources in China. Special attention is given to addressing human health risks associated with heavy metals in contaminated drinking water, contamination of sediments in rivers and lakes, and impacts of industrial effluents and wastewater irrigation.