A Study of Heavy Metal Pollution in China: Current Status, Pollution-Control Policies and Countermeasures

Hu, Hui; Qian, Jin; Kavan, Philip

doi:10.3390/su6095820

Cited by 243 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Industries emit heavy metals to the atmosphere which may be deposited on the agricultural soils. The heavy metals originate from uses of different heavy metals as raw materials during the industrial processes [26]. The disposal of industrial waste on or near the agricultural land may lead to the heavy metals concentration on the agricultural soil, beyond the acceptable limits [1,27,28].…”

Section: Sources Of Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heavy Metals Contamination in Agricultural Soil and Rice in Tanzania: A Review

Simon

Mtei

Kimanya

2016

IJEPP

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Heavy metals contamination in agricultural soil is a potential environmental threat to the safety of agricultural food crops such as rice which is consumed by majority of Tanzanians. The aim of this review is to put together available information on sources of heavy metals, their extent of contamination in agricultural soil and in rice, the risk of exposure through rice consumption as well as the relationship between heavy metals contamination in agricultural soils and in rice in Tanzania. There are several methods of determining the concentrations of heavy metals in soils and in rice. These include Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP -MS) and Energy Dispersive X -ray Fluorescence spectrometer (EDXRF). It has been mostly reported that the extent of heavy metals contamination in agricultural soils is influenced by their closeness to mining or industrial areas. The use of river waters in mining areas or wastewater from industries for irrigation has been associated to increasing levels of heavy metals in agricultural soils. The elevated level of heavy metals in agricultural soils leads to their accumulation in crops especially rice which upon consumption poses health effects to human and the ecosystem at large. This review suggests the need for determining the extent of heavy metals contamination in agricultural soils around potential areas such as mining and to link this with exposure assessment on heavy metals through rice consumption in Tanzania. This information is necessary to establish the extent at which rice consumers in Tanzania are at risk of heavy metals exposure.

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Section: Sources Of Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heavy Metals Contamination in Agricultural Soil and Rice in Tanzania: A Review

Simon

Mtei

Kimanya

2016

IJEPP

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“…In recent years, more and more cancer villages with high concentrations of cancer incidences have appeared across China, and heavy metal contamination has been identified as the main cause [4]. Among heavy metals, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) are all categorized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as having high carcinogenic toxicities [5,6]. For example, excessive lead and mercury can permanently damage the nervous system and brain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2013, the emergence of cadmium poisoned rice in Hunan Province and Guangdong Province have brought unpredictable risks and influences on both public health and environment, which triggered a public crisis and caused tremendous political concerns [20,21]. Regarding heavy metal water pollution in China, industrial wastewater, municipal sewage, and the discharge of agricultural wastewater are considered the main pollution sources, especially with respect to industrial emissions [6,14,[22][23][24]. For example, the leather industry merely contributed (less than 1%) to the total industrial output to Shandong Province in 2010 but produced over 40% of the total discharged Cr waste [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Assessment of Cancer Incidences and the Risks of Industrial Wastewater Emission in China

Liu

et al. 2016

Sustainability

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China's rapid economic growth and social transitions have deteriorated environmental conditions and caused further public health issues in last three decades. This study examines the complex mechanisms of how socioeconomic transitions and physical environmental conditions impact public health, especially with respect to increasing cancer incidences in mainland China from a spatial-temporal perspective. Specifically, (1) spatial variations of seven types of cancer incidences were analyzed in relation to heavy metal emissions from industrial wastewater at the prefecture-level city scale from 2004 to 2009. Additionally; (2) spatial statistical methods were employed to explore the associations between health outcome, heavy metal emissions from industrial wastewater (arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury, lead), as well as socioeconomic transitions (industrialization, urbanization, globalization) and physical environmental factors (hydrology and vegetation coverage). Results showed a significant increase of cancer incidences between 2004 and 2009. Consistent with the spatial pattern of heavy metal emissions, cancer patient clusters were identified in both traditional industrial bases and newly industrialized economic zones, especially in major cities located at downstream watersheds, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, and Wuhan. The results also revealed the double-edged effects of industrialization, economic growth, and urbanization on natural environment and human health. The findings provide informative knowledge of heavy metal pollution and cancer outbreaks in China and therefore offer valuable reference for authorities formulating regulations.

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“…R apid development of the Chinese economy has resulted in heavy metals pollution (Hu et al, 2014) and food security problem (Lu et al, 2015). In 2014, 19.4% of farmland was heavily contaminated with heavy metals, including cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb), especially Cd accounting for 7.0% of the contamination observed (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Ministry of Land and Resources of China, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Mineral-Based Amendments on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Growth and Cadmium Content in Plant and Polluted Soil

Leiming¹,

Pengliang²,

TieBaiqing³

et al. 2017

Environmental Engineering Science

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Agricultural soils can be contaminated by industrial activities such as mining and smelting. Contamination with cadmium (Cd) can significantly exceed average background values, which can lead to uptake by rice plant and even harm to humans through food chain. In Hunan province, southern China, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the main cereal, and human exposure to metallic contaminants through rice pathway is of particular interest. Shortage of land for rice growing means that contaminated agricultural soil is still cultivated for rice in Hunan. In the present work, a field experiment was undertaken to remediate Cd-contaminated paddy soil with three mineral amendments, namely sepiolite, bone char, and a silicon-based product (normally used as fertilizer). Average Cd concentration in the paddy soil was 2.85 mg/kg, significantly exceeding Chinese soil quality standards of China. Cd content was 0.59 mg/kg in sepiolite, 0.28 mg/kg in bone char, and 0.44 mg/kg in silicon fertilizer, respectively. Distribution fractions of Cd in soil followed the order of exchangeable (FI) > organic matter-bound (FIII) > residual (FIV) > oxide-bound (FII) without treatment, while exchangeable (FI) > residual (FIV) > organic matter-bound (FIII) > oxide-bound (FII) after treatment. With addition of three amendments, soil pH values and rice growth such as plant height and ripening rate increased. Concentrations of Cd in the rice plant (straw, husk, and unpolished rice) decreased after treatment. However, among three amendments, only the bone char addition reduced Cd accumulation in the rice plant below the Chinese standard value (0.2 mg/kg) and in the husk to below the Chinese feed hygiene standard for food (0.5 mg/kg).

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A Study of Heavy Metal Pollution in China: Current Status, Pollution-Control Policies and Countermeasures

Cited by 243 publications

References 21 publications

Heavy Metals Contamination in Agricultural Soil and Rice in Tanzania: A Review

Heavy Metals Contamination in Agricultural Soil and Rice in Tanzania: A Review

Spatial Assessment of Cancer Incidences and the Risks of Industrial Wastewater Emission in China

Effect of Mineral-Based Amendments on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Growth and Cadmium Content in Plant and Polluted Soil

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