Consumption of water from ex-mining ponds in Klang Valley and Melaka, Malaysia: A health risk study

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 195; pp. 641 - 652
• Main Authors: Koki, Isa Baba, Low, Kah Hin, Juahir, Hafizan, Abdul Zali, Munirah, Azid, Azman, Zain, Sharifuddin Md
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2018
• Subjects: Adult; Arsenic; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; Chemometrics; Child; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Humans; Lakes - analysis; Malaysia; Metals; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Mining; Monte Carlo; Pollution; Ponds - analysis; Risk Assessment - methods; Water - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Quality; Pollution; Arsenic; Monte Carlo; Metals; Chemometrics; Water quality
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.12.112

Evaluation of health risks due to heavy metals exposure via drinking water from ex-mining ponds in Klang Valley and Melaka has been conducted. Measurements of As, Cd, Pb, Mn, Fe, Na, Mg, Ca, and dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid, ammoniacal nitrogen, total suspended solid, biological oxygen demand were collected from 12 ex-mining ponds and 9 non-ex-mining lakes. Exploratory analysis identified As, Cd, and Pb as the most representative water quality parameters in the studied areas. The metal exposures were simulated using Monte Carlo methods and the associated health risks were estimated at 95th and 99th percentile. The results revealed that As was the major risk factor which might have originated from the previous mining activity. For Klang Valley, adults that ingested water from those ponds are at both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, while children are vulnerable to non-carcinogenic risk; for Melaka, only children are vulnerable to As complications. However, dermal exposure showed no potential health consequences on both adult and children groups. •Heavy metals and physico-chemical parameters were studied for ex-mining ponds.•The metal concentrations were influenced by the geology and anthropogenic inputs.•As, Cd, and Pb as the most significant water quality parameters in ex-mining water.•As was the major risk factor.•Children are more vulnerable to the health risks from ingestion of ex-mining water.