Groundwater Quality at the Huaibei Coalfield, China

The environmental and health impacts of trace elements are of great concern because of their toxicity, persistence, and bioavailability. Twenty-six groundwater samples were collected from the coal mining areas to evaluate water quality and potential environmental impact caused by mining activities. The physical/chemical properties and trace element concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) were determined. The physical/chemical parameters and the concentrations of trace elements varied among the shallow and confined groundwater, which may indicate the absence of hydraulic interactions between the aquifers. The concentrations of trace elements in the mining areas are higher than at background monitoring sites, which suggests that the mining activities may lead to environmental and health impacts. Based on a health risk assessment, the low hazard quotients and cancer risk values in confined groundwater samples indicate that the chronic and cancer adverse effects due to trace elements are negligible. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of groundwater trace element impacts from coal mining in China and is useful for environmental management.