Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42347437›Full record

ArticleToxics2026

Heavy Metal(loid) Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment in the Water-Soil-Vegetable System of a Watershed in Southwest China.

Mengying Li, Jinjie Zhao, Wenjing Shen, Duanyang Yuan, Chengchen Wang, Ping Xiang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Toxics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Mengying LiOpen Education College, Yunnan Open University, Kunming 650023, China.
Jinjie ZhaoOpen Education College, Yunnan Open University, Kunming 650023, China.
Wenjing ShenOpen Education College, Yunnan Open University, Kunming 650023, China.
Duanyang YuanOpen Education College, Yunnan Open University, Kunming 650023, China.
Chengchen WangInstitute of Environmental Remediation and Human Health, School of Ecology and Environment, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China.
Ping XiangInstitute of Environmental Remediation and Human Health, School of Ecology and Environment, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0870-8551

Funding

Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects 202501AU070093Yunnan Provincial Department of Education 2024J0752
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Heavy metal(loid) pollution in watersheds surrounding mining areas originates from multiple and complex sources, posing persistent threats to terrestrial-aquatic ecosystems and human dietary safety. This study systematically investigated the pollution characteristics, spatial distribution, ecological risks and human health hazards of seven typical heavy metal(loid)s (As, Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Ni) in the integrated water-soil-vegetable continuum of a mining-affected watershed in Southwest China. Field sampling was carried out in three functional zones with different mining disturbance intensities, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to detect heavy metal(loid) concentrations in all samples. Multiple pollution evaluation indices and the USEPA human health risk assessment model were adopted for comprehensive quantitative analysis. The results showed that 44.0% of surface water samples exceeded national permissible limits, with high-pollution areas concentrated in intensive mining zones, presenting moderate overall aquatic heavy metal(loid) pollution. Although the average concentrations of seven heavy metal(loid)s in riparian soils complied with Chinese agricultural soil screening standards, localized significant enrichment was observed for As (1.98 times), Cd (4.62 times), Cu (1.81 times), and Zn (2.72 times) compared with regional background values, causing mild comprehensive soil pollution. Farmland soils exhibited prominent Cu and Zn accumulation, and leafy vegetables in the study area suffered severe Pb and Cd pollution, with potential dietary exposure risks. Health risk assessment indicated that children face higher non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks than adults via soil hand-to-mouth exposure; dietary intake of vegetables leads to moderate carcinogenic risks for children caused by As and Ni exposure. Overall, this study clarifies the migration and enrichment rules of heavy metal(loid)s in the water-soil-vegetable system of mining watersheds, confirms the prominent ecological and human health risks of Cd, As and Pb in the study area, and provides targeted basic data for regional heavy metal(loid) pollution prevention and food safety management.

Indexed as

health riskmining-affected watershedpotential ecological riskpotentially toxic elements

Identifiers

PMID42347437
PMCPMC13308475

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.