Spatial distribution and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in campus dust: A case study of the university town of Huaxi

Abstract

A detailed investigation was conducted to understand the contamination characteristics of a selected set of heavy metals (HMs) in 34 campus dust samples from Huaxi University Town. The HMs spatial distribution analysis based on ArcGIS software, the geo-accumulation index (I_geo) and health risk model were employed for evaluation, and multivariate statistical methods were used to identify possible sources. Results showed that the mean concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Cd were 68.18, 123.81, 45.26, 140.36, 47.26, and 0.47 mg/kg, respectively. The spatial distribution characteristics displayed that the relatively large concentrations for the analyzed HMs were mainly located at both teaching areas and students’ dormitory areas. The average values of I_geo indicated that HMs contamination level followed the decreasing trend of Cd > Cu > Cr > Pb > Ni > Zn. The health risk assessment results indicated that HMs in campus dust generally do not pose any immediate health risk for both adult males and adult females but the cumulative effect is a matter of concern. The sources analyses demonstrated that Cu, Zn, Cr, and Cd, primarily from motor vehicle emission and waste incineration, Pb predominantly originated from construction source, while Ni had the mixed sources of nature and traffic.

Keywords:

• heavy metals
• spatial distribution
• risk assessment
• campus dust
• university town

Acknowledgments

We sincerely appreciate the reviewers and editors for their valuable and constructive comments.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41663009), the Construction Project for First-class Ecology Discipline in Guizhou (GNYL[2017]007), the Project of Science and Technology Supporting Plan, Guizhou Province (Qian Sci. Co.[2017], No.2580), the Project of Science and Technology Foundation, Guizhou Province (GZKJ[2019]13).