Non-carcinogenic risks induced by heavy metals in water from a Chinese river

Our study assessed the non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metals in the sources of drinking water treatment plants located along Huaihe River in Jiangsu Province, China. High-resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy were used to determine the levels of eight metals in the water from 30 treatment plants. Non-carcinogenic risks induced by the metals were assessed using the methods recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States. Among the metals, Fe had the highest concentration and Pb contributed most to the average hazard index (HI) of 30 TWTPs. Except Pb, each metal had an average concentration below the permissible limit of China and the United States. The induced non-carcinogenic risks showed temporal and spatial variations. This study revealed that the metals in the tap water induced negligible public health risks for local residents.