Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.3390/w9040234
DC FieldValue
dc.titleHuman exposure risk assessment due to heavy metals in groundwater by pollution index and multivariate statistical methods: A case study from South Africa
dc.contributor.authorElumalai V.
dc.contributor.authorBrindha K.
dc.contributor.authorLakshmanan E.
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-09T05:06:04Z
dc.date.available2020-09-09T05:06:04Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.identifier.citationElumalai V., Brindha K., Lakshmanan E. (2017). Human exposure risk assessment due to heavy metals in groundwater by pollution index and multivariate statistical methods: A case study from South Africa. Water (Switzerland) 9 (4) : 234. ScholarBank@NUS Repository. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9040234
dc.identifier.issn20734441
dc.identifier.urihttps://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/175214
dc.description.abstractHeavy metals in surface and groundwater were analysed and their sources were identified using multivariate statistical tools for two towns in South Africa. Human exposure risk through the drinking water pathway was also assessed. Electrical conductivity values showed that groundwater is desirable to permissible for drinking except for six locations. Concentration of aluminium, lead and nickel were above the permissible limit for drinking at all locations. Boron, cadmium, iron and manganese exceeded the limit at few locations. Heavy metal pollution index based on ten heavy metals indicated that 85% of the area had good quality water, but 15% was unsuitable. Human exposure dose through the drinking water pathway indicated no risk due to boron, nickel and zinc, moderate risk due to cadmium and lithium and high risk due to silver, copper, manganese and lead. Hazard quotients were high in all sampling locations for humans of all age groups, indicating that groundwater is unsuitable for drinking purposes. Highly polluted areas were located near the coast, close to industrial operations and at a landfill site representing human-induced pollution. Factor analysis identified the four major pollution sources as: (1) industries; (2) mining and related activities; (3) mixed sources- geogenic and anthropogenic and (4) fertilizer application. © 2017 by the authors.
dc.sourceUnpaywall 20200831
dc.subjectBoron
dc.subjectCadmium
dc.subjectCatchments
dc.subjectGroundwater
dc.subjectGroundwater pollution
dc.subjectHeavy metals
dc.subjectLocation
dc.subjectManganese
dc.subjectMultivariant analysis
dc.subjectNickel
dc.subjectPollution
dc.subjectPotable water
dc.subjectStatistical mechanics
dc.subjectStatistical methods
dc.subjectWater
dc.subjectWater pollution
dc.subjectElectrical conductivity
dc.subjectEmpangeni
dc.subjectFertilizer applications
dc.subjectHeavy metal pollution
dc.subjectHuman exposure risks
dc.subjectMultivariate statistical method
dc.subjectRichards bay
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.subjectRisk assessment
dc.subjectconcentration (composition)
dc.subjectdose-response relationship
dc.subjectdrinking water
dc.subjectfactor analysis
dc.subjectgroundwater pollution
dc.subjectheavy metal
dc.subjecthuman activity
dc.subjectmultivariate analysis
dc.subjectpollution exposure
dc.subjectrisk assessment
dc.subjectsampling
dc.subjectwater quality
dc.subjectKwaZulu-Natal
dc.subjectRichards Bay
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.typeArticle
dc.contributor.departmentCIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
dc.description.doi10.3390/w9040234
dc.description.sourcetitleWater (Switzerland)
dc.description.volume9
dc.description.issue4
dc.description.page234
Appears in Collections:Elements
Staff Publications

Show simple item record
Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormatAccess SettingsVersion 
10_3390_w9040234.pdf3.28 MBAdobe PDF

OPEN

NoneView/Download

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.