Heavy metal pollution characteristics and health risk assessment of dust fall related to industrial activities in desert steppes

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) Vol. 9; p. e12430
• Main Authors: Xu, Zhe, Mi, Wenbao, Mi, Nan, Fan, Xingang, Tian, Ying, Zhou, Yao, Zhao, Ya-nan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego PeerJ. Ltd 03.11.2021; PeerJ, Inc; PeerJ Inc
• Subjects: Cadmium; Chromium; Copper; Desert steppe; Deserts; Dust; Environmental Contamination and Remediation; Environmental Impacts; Food chains; Grasslands; Health aspects; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Heavy metals; Heavy metals in dust fall; Lead; Manganese; Metals; Pollutants; Pollution; Pollution characteristics; Quality control; Risk assessment; Spatial and Geographic Information Science; Statistical analysis; Steppes; Zinc; Massachusetts; China

China’s desert steppe is the transition zone between the grasslands in central China and the arid desert. Ecological security in this region has long been a subject of debate, both in the local and academic communities. Heavy metals and other pollutants are readily released during industrial product...