Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals exposure is related to a variety of diseases and cancer development, posing a great health risk to humans. In this study, water samples were collected from nine important water sources in Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces to determine the degree of PAHs and heavy metals contamination. Overall, the total contents of 16 PAHs and heavy metals were found within the permissible levels. In human health risk assessment, the benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentration (BaPeq) presented a much lower level than the guideline values announced by Chinese Environmental Protection Agency (CEPA) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), demonstrating that the PAHs contamination level in drinking water was mostly acceptable. For heavy metals, the Chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ) or hazard index (HI) suggested that the water quality in nine water sources was desirable and did not present a risk to human health.
Highlights
Water pollution by Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals is widespread in many countries worldwide
The contaminations of PAHs and heavy metals in the drinking water resources were relatively low in southern China
The highest PAH contents were detected at the Liujiang water resource in Guangxi province
Summary
Water pollution by Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals is widespread in many countries worldwide. Excessive human activities and inappropriate disposal of industrial wastes are some of the reasons that lead to their detection in important water resources, including sea water, river water and underground water, which directly affects the quality of drinking water and aquatic organisms [1]. PAHs, a large class of organic pollutants consisting of 2–6 fused aromatic rings without heteroatoms or substitutes, are the earliest known chemical carcinogens [2]. Short-term and long-term exposure to PAHs could damage the immune, reproductive, hematopoietic and nervous systems, as well as affect overall human health [3]
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