Establishing a human health risk assessment methodology for metal species and its application of Cr6+ in groundwater environments

- A new human health risk assessment methodology for metal species was proposed.
- An application of the proposed method for estimation each Cr6+ species risk in groundwater was studied.
- The risks of Cr6+ were compared on total concentration level and species.
- Cr6+ health risks were contributed by the species of CaCrO4, HCrO4− and CrO42−.
- Health risk of Cr6+ species can be described by pH and Ca2+ dose effects in groundwater.

The species of heavy metal is an important factor in determining human health risk. Quantifying the impacts on metal species can provide specific estimates of the heavy metal health risk to achieve more accurate risk. This paper was to develop a methodology to quantify and distinguish the contribution of metal species risk on human in site-specific groundwater. In this method, morphological simulation was used to obtain concentration and activity of metal species, for modifying the average daily dose from exposure pathways in human health assessment procedure. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of Cr6+ morphologies in groundwater were examined for children and adults. The results demonstrated that the health risks of Cr6+ were depended on its species, and affected by pH and Ca2+ dose in groundwater. The new method provided a reference for policy decision on the prevention and treatment of metal element pollution.