Analysis of Metal Sources in Shallow Groundwater and Environmental Health Risk Evaluation in the Jidong Plain Area

In recent years, human activities have affected the groundwater environment, posing potential risks to human health. To investigate the effects of metal elements in groundwater on human health, this paper selects the plain area of Tangshan City, Hebei Province as the study area. A total of sixty-four shallow groundwater samples were collected from the district.. Ten metal elements, such as Fe and Mn, were detected, and their concentration characteristics were analyzed. The main sources of metal elements in the shallow groundwater area were analyzed by combining the geostatistical method and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF). Based on the source analysis, a health risk assessment model was applied to evaluate the health risk status of the study area. The results showed that: (1) The metal element with the highest exceedance rate in the groundwater of the study area was Mn, with a maximum content of 8.66 mg/L, primarily found near the coastal plain. (2) The areas with high metal exceedance rates in shallow groundwater are primarily located in the coastal plain, and their sources can be classified into four categories Type 1 is characterized by Fe, primarily influenced by geological environment and industrial activities. Type 2 is characterized by Mn, mainly influenced by the geological environment. Type 3 is characterized by Al, mainly influenced by industrial activities and mining. Type 4 is characterized by Zn and Cr⁶⁺, mainly influenced by industrial activities. ③The health risk evaluation indicated that the primary concern for metallic elements in shallow groundwater is carcinogenic risk for the receptor population.. The main exposure route is the oral ingestion, with Cr⁶⁺ as the primary carcinogen and Mn as the main non-carcinogen. The total health risk for children is higher than for adults, with high spatial concordance between the both receptors, and higher risk areas concentrated in urban regions. To ensure the safety of the receptor population in the study area, efforts should focus on controlling Mn and Cr⁶⁺ levels in shallow groundwater.