Groundwater Heavy Metal Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment in Typical Industrial Parks in Southwest China

This research investigates heavy metals in groundwater from typical industrial parks in Southwest China, in addition to their pollution characteristics and health risks. The findings revealed that the concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Cu in three typical industrial parks in Southwest China exceeded the Class III thresholds of China groundwater quality standards (GB/T 14848-2017, 2017), while the concentrations of the remaining heavy metals remained within the standards. Enterprise production activities and other external factors influenced the spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metals in groundwater. In industrial park MY, Cd and As had homology, and their sources were primarily the packaging and printing, bioengineering, and pharmaceutical industries. Fe and As had homology in industrial park HZ, and their sources were primarily wine and beverage production and the cement and concrete sector; Cd and Cr had homology in industrial park LG, and their sources were principally new materials industries. According to the HPI and HEI assessment criteria, the three industrial parks have minimal environmental contamination. The human health risk assessment results indicate that children have a higher health risk than adults, and drinking water intake is the primary risk exposure pathway for heavy metals in groundwater. The non-carcinogenic risk of heavy metals in the groundwater of the three industrial parks was tolerable for different populations exposed via various pathways; nonetheless, As, Cd, and Cr were discovered to have carcinogenic risk in the three industrial parks. The study’s findings can be used as a valuable reference for managing local groundwater in typical industrial parks in Southwest China.