Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Dust Fall Around Reservoirs in Typical Ecologically Fragile Areas and Traceability Based on APCS-MLR Model

Abstract

To assess the health risk status and pollution sources of heavy metals in the atmosphere of ecologically vulnerable areas, the surrounding area of Dahekou Reservoir in Xilingol League was selected as the study area. From 2021 to 2022, 12 monitoring points for atmospheric dust fall were collected for a period of one year. A total of 144 samples were collected to determine the contents of eight types of heavy metals, namely Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, As, and Cd. The potential ecological index (Eri) and health risk assessment model were used to assess the risk level of atmospheric heavy metals on ecological security and human health. The analysis of enrichment factors, principal components, and the model of absolute principal component multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) receptor were used to analyze the sources of heavy metal pollution qualitatively in the atmosphere of the study area. The results showed that:① the mean value of the comprehensive potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the annual atmospheric dust fall in the study area was at a high ecological risk, and only the Cd value was at a very high risk level among the heavy metals, whereas the remaining were at a slight risk. ② The results of the health risk showed that intake by hand, mouth, and skin contact were the main exposure routes, which led to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. Children were under non-carcinogenic and acceptable carcinogenic risks in different months. During those months, the main source of the risks was As. ③ Through enrichment factor analysis, principal component analysis, and APCS-MLR receptor model calculation, the results revealed that the proportion of wind-blown sources was the largest, accounting for 37.82%, and the contribution rates of coal combustion and traffic sources to Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn were 73.01%, 40.22%, 70.31%, and 32.82%, respectively. The contribution rate of mining activities to As was 42.59%, while that of industrial sources of Cd was 22.01%; the contributions of other human activity sources of Cd, As, Pb, and Zn were 21.12%, 34.40%, 23.04%, and 32.15%, respectively.