Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisis
Arsenic (As) contamination is considered a major threat to groundwater quality and human health. The uneven distribution of arsenic contributes to regional variations, creating discrimination related to arsenic enrichment and carcinogenic risk. Here, we have analyzed 2,737 groundwater samples across...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Environment International |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025001862 |
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| author | Xin Liu Fu-Jun Yue Wei Wen Wong Shao-Chong Lin Tian-Li Guo Si-Liang Li |
| author_facet | Xin Liu Fu-Jun Yue Wei Wen Wong Shao-Chong Lin Tian-Li Guo Si-Liang Li |
| author_sort | Xin Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Arsenic (As) contamination is considered a major threat to groundwater quality and human health. The uneven distribution of arsenic contributes to regional variations, creating discrimination related to arsenic enrichment and carcinogenic risk. Here, we have analyzed 2,737 groundwater samples across China, which spans a broad range of geo-environments, climates and land use types. We find that regional inequality of groundwater arsenic concentration is caused by ontology environment. By mapping the groundwater arsenic distribution across China and conducting a global meta-analysis, the spatial response of arsenic concentration to different cancer risks was revealed, and neglected As(V) should be given attention. A random forest analysis identified chemical properties (including oxidation–reduction potential, pH, total manganese ion, total iron ion, total dissolved solids, and sulfate ion) as the most influential drivers, contributing 56% to the model’s explanatory power, followed by geographical factors at 28%, climatic factors at 10%, and human activities at 6%. Additionally, reducing the proportion of groundwater supply with high arsenic concentration in drinking water in regions without water treatment may help lower the potential carcinogenic risk. This study emphasizes the potential health risk associated with high arsenic groundwater, making it particularly important to roll out efficient water purification technologies given the natural enrichment of arsenic, especially rural regions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ae91e6e00a82433195af0bc2dff1fcec |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj-art-ae91e6e00a82433195af0bc2dff1fcec2025-08-20T02:12:10ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202025-04-0119810943510.1016/j.envint.2025.109435Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisisXin Liu0Fu-Jun Yue1Wei Wen Wong2Shao-Chong Lin3Tian-Li Guo4Si-Liang Li5Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Water Studies, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton 3800 Victoria, AustraliaInstitute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Corresponding author.Water Studies, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton 3800 Victoria, AustraliaCollege of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, ChinaInstitute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaArsenic (As) contamination is considered a major threat to groundwater quality and human health. The uneven distribution of arsenic contributes to regional variations, creating discrimination related to arsenic enrichment and carcinogenic risk. Here, we have analyzed 2,737 groundwater samples across China, which spans a broad range of geo-environments, climates and land use types. We find that regional inequality of groundwater arsenic concentration is caused by ontology environment. By mapping the groundwater arsenic distribution across China and conducting a global meta-analysis, the spatial response of arsenic concentration to different cancer risks was revealed, and neglected As(V) should be given attention. A random forest analysis identified chemical properties (including oxidation–reduction potential, pH, total manganese ion, total iron ion, total dissolved solids, and sulfate ion) as the most influential drivers, contributing 56% to the model’s explanatory power, followed by geographical factors at 28%, climatic factors at 10%, and human activities at 6%. Additionally, reducing the proportion of groundwater supply with high arsenic concentration in drinking water in regions without water treatment may help lower the potential carcinogenic risk. This study emphasizes the potential health risk associated with high arsenic groundwater, making it particularly important to roll out efficient water purification technologies given the natural enrichment of arsenic, especially rural regions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025001862GroundwaterArsenicCarcinogenic riskMachine learningEnvironmental management |
| spellingShingle | Xin Liu Fu-Jun Yue Wei Wen Wong Shao-Chong Lin Tian-Li Guo Si-Liang Li Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisis Environment International Groundwater Arsenic Carcinogenic risk Machine learning Environmental management |
| title | Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisis |
| title_full | Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisis |
| title_fullStr | Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisis |
| title_short | Arsenic toxicity exacerbates China’s groundwater and health crisis |
| title_sort | arsenic toxicity exacerbates china s groundwater and health crisis |
| topic | Groundwater Arsenic Carcinogenic risk Machine learning Environmental management |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025001862 |
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