Environmental contamination and health hazard of lead and cadmium around Chatian mercury mining deposit in western Hunan Province, China

A field survey concerning lead and cadmium pollution in environment mediums and hair samples around the Chatian mercury mining deposit in western Hunan Province, China, was conducted to preliminarily evaluate their health hazard to local inhabitants. The results show that mining wastes, especially tailing, contain high cadmium level with the maximum of 79.92 μg/g. High levels of lead and cadmium are accumulated in surface water and paddy soil, respectively, and both metals pollution occurs in brown rice. The average daily intake dose(ADD) of lead for local adults via three routes reaches up to 7.7 μg/(kg·d), exceeding the provision tolerable daily intake by JECFA of 3.5 μg/(kg·d), and drinking water exposure route contributes the highest daily intake. As an indicator for heavy metal exposure, the hair of local population contains Pb (5.06±3.02) μg/g. The average daily intake dose of cadmium for adults is 0.119 μg/(kg·d). More attention must be paid on health risk from lead pollution compared with cadmium.