| Citation: |
Xiu-jin Liu, Li Zhang, Zhi-zhuo Liu, Ya-long Zhou, Shi-qi Tang, Fei Liu, Min Peng, Hang-xin Cheng, Yan-fei Qi, 2025. Fluorine distribution, health risk, and geological and anthropogenic controlling factors in central Guizhou Province, Southwest China, China Geology, 8, 586-597. doi: 10.31035/cg2025056
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Fluorine distribution, health risk, and geological and anthropogenic controlling factors in central Guizhou Province, Southwest China
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Abstract
Fluorine (F)-enriched soils, resulting from geogenic processes or superimposed by anthropogenic activities, have raised significant concerns due to their phytotoxicity and potential threats to human health. Soils in central Guizhou Province exhibit F enrichment, with a mean F concentration of 1067 mg/kg. However, the associated human health risks and geochemical mechanisms driving F enrichment in these soils remain insufficiently understood. In areas with a natural geological background, the average concentrations of F in rice, vegetables, drinking water, and ambient air are 1.54 mg/kg, 0.54 mg/kg, 0.16 mg/L, and 0.29 μg/m3, respectively. In contrast, samples collected near phosphorous chemical plants demonstrate elevated F concentrations: 1.78 mg/kg in rice, 1.53 mg/kg in vegetables, 0.20 mg/L in drinking water, and 11.98 μg/m3 in ambient air. Fluorine in soils was immobilized by apatite and clay minerals, and hardly transferred into water and crops. The fixation of F- by Ca2+ in water and by Fe/Al hydroxides and clay minerals in bottom sediment further reduces F concentrations in water. As a result, hazard quotient (HQ) values below 1.0 indicate negligible fluorine-related health risk in geological background regions. However, ambient air near phosphorous chemical plant exhibited a 41.3-fold increase in F concentration compared to geological background regions. Fluorine-laden emissions can be directly inhaled or deposited on vegetable leaves and orally ingested into human bodies. Improvement of F-rich waste gas disposal and restricted leafy vegetable cultivation are effective measures to reduce F health risks in phosphorous chemical plant regions.
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Keywords:
- Soil fluorine /
- Drinking water fluorine /
- Ambient air fluorine /
- Rice fluorine /
- Vegetable fluorine /
- Health risk /
- Apatite and clay minerals /
- Geological background /
- Phosphorus chemical plants /
- Guizhou Province /
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3) /
- Environmental geological survey engineering
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References
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Xiu-jin Liu, Li Zhang, Zhi-zhuo Liu, Ya-long Zhou, Shi-qi Tang, Fei Liu, Min Peng, Hang-xin Cheng, Yan-fei Qi, 2025. Fluorine distribution, health risk, and geological and anthropogenic controlling factors in central Guizhou Province, Southwest China, China Geology, 8, 586-597. doi: 10.31035/cg2025056
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Figure 1.
a–Brief map showing the location of the study area; b–geological map to show the distribution of rocks and phosphorus chemical plants.
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Figure 2.
a–Fluorine geochemical map of surface soil in the study area; b–covariant diagram of F in rhizosphere soil and rice; c–covariant diagram of F in rhizosphere soil and vegetables; d–pH vs. F- content diagram of the drinking water; e–F content of ambient air in GBR and PCPR.
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Figure 3.
a–Exposure media and pathways of F; b–HQ of F via three pathways; c–HQ of F via five media for children and adults in GBR and PCPR.
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Figure 4.
Proportion of F fractions in soil.
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Figure 5.
BSE images showing F content in soil minerals.
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Figure 6.
Piper plots of the major ion compositions of groundwater.
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Figure 7.
Total and soluble F contents in bottom sediment of drinking water.
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Figure 8.
BSE images showing F content of iron-aluminum hydroxides and clay minerals in bottom sediment of drinking water.
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Figure 9.
Picture showing the deposition of F-rich gas on leafy vegetables in PCPR.