Characterization of heavy metal contamination in groundwater of typical mining area in Hunan Province

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 13054
• Main Authors: Hao, Wenjie, Liu, Huan, Hao, Shuli, Mao, Kuanzhen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 06.06.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 704/172; 704/242; Anthropogenic factors; Antimony; Contamination; Correlation; Degradability; Environmental restoration; Environmental risk; Geology; Groundwater; Groundwater mining; Groundwater pollution; Heavy metals; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydrogeology; Mining; Mining accidents & safety; multidisciplinary; Pollution; Pollution contribution; Pollution prevention; Pollution sources; Principal components analysis; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Statistical analysis; Statistical characterization; Statistical models; Toxicity; Water quality; Statistical characterization; Correlation; Groundwater; Heavy metals; Pollution contribution
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63460-7

Heavy metal pollution in mining areas is a major cause of groundwater contamination, characterized by high toxicity, difficult degradability, and easy accumulation, and the source of pollution is not easily identified. Relying on the results of groundwater quality analysis tests in a typical mining area, this paper uses the SPSS 18.0 statistical analysis model to analyze the statistical characteristics of different indicator factors in the antimony mining area. The conclusions play a crucial role in implementing health and safety measures for the mining area and its surrounding residents. The statistical study results show that Mn, Se, As, and Sb are closely related to human mining activities and are polluted to varying degrees; the principal component analysis model indicates that the upstream monitoring points 26#, 22#, and 25# in the mining area groundwater are less polluted. The five monitoring points with a comprehensive principal component F > 1 are all located within the range of the metal mine cluster, indicating that the groundwater in the mining area is particularly sensitive to the impact of anthropogenic mineral extraction. This research summarizes the hydrogeological and geochemical statistical characteristics of the groundwater in the mining area, providing a reference for groundwater pollution risk diagnosis, ecological restoration, and heavy metal pollution prevention and control in this and similar mining areas.