Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the variations in groundwater quality, vulnerability and potential health risk from 2006 to 2016 in the Limin District, Harbin, China. Groundwater geochemical characteristics were described using statistical analysis and Piper diagrams. A modified DRASTIC model that combined factors of intrinsic aquifer vulnerability and land use was applied to assess groundwater vulnerability. The weights of parameters were adjusted by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to optimize the model. The non-carcinogenic health risk was estimated by the Unites States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) model. Results suggested that concentrations of NH4-N, Fe and Mn in groundwater exceeded the limits both in 2006 and in 2016. The concentration of Fe in the groundwater showed more significant variation between 2006 and 2016 than the other parameters. Very high vulnerability zones increased from 6.3% in 2006 to 16.9% in 2016, and distributed on agricultural land, indicating that agriculture was still a major source of pollution. Mn and NO3-N contributed the most to human health risks in 2006 and 2016, respectively. This study highlights the influence of groundwater quality variation in decadal exploitation on human health.
Highlights
Water resources are one of the primary factors that determine the degree of regional economic development
We found that high risks to human health
Temporal and spatial variation of groundwater geochemical characteristics, vulnerability and health risk assessment were investigated in the Limin District
Summary
Water resources are one of the primary factors that determine the degree of regional economic development. The development of the region will affect local water quality and quantity [1]. In many developing countries, where agriculture is a fundamental part of the economy [2], rapid industrialization is resulting in greater pressure on water resources [3,4]. Groundwater has been an important source of water supply because of its abundance, stable quality, and the relatively low cost of exploitation [5,6,7]. The DRASTIC model [10] is the most established method worldwide for presenting the intrinsic vulnerability of groundwater due to its minimal data requirements, relatively accurate results and flexible application [11,12,13].
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