Hydrogeochemical process and health risk of boron in groundwater in oasis area of Turpan Basin
DING Qi-zhen1,2,3, ZHOU Yin-zhu1,4, ZHOU Jin-long1,2,3, JIANG Feng1,2,3, SUN Ying1,2,3, LEI Mi1,2,3, REN Le1,2,3, ZHAO Shui-jin1,2,3, ZHAO Na-yan1,2,3, LI Jun1,5
1. College of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; 2. Xinjiang Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering Research Center, Urumqi 830052, China; 3. Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Security and Water Disasters Prevention, Urumqi 830052, China; 4. Center for Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, China Geological Survey, Tianijin 300304, China; 5. Hebei University of Architecture, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
Abstract：As a typical arid oasis in northwest China, economic development in the Turpan Basin is heavily dependent on groundwater. In this study, hydrogeochemical mechanisms controlling groundwater boron (B) enrichment and associated health risks through an integrated approach combining hydrochemical analysis, isotopic tracing, and UNMIX receptor modeling were systematically investigated based on 6 river water and 49 groundwater collected in the study area. The results indicated that: (1) surface water in the study area was neutral to slightly alkaline, while groundwater ranged from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline; groundwater B existed in a mixed form of H3BO3 and B(OH)4-, with H3BO3 being the dominant species. (2) Groundwater B concentrations ranged from ND to 4.26mg/L, with 24.5% exceeding China's drinking water standard (1.0mg/L, GB5749-2022). High-B groundwater (mainly Cl·SO4-Na·Ca type) exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity, clustering in the Gaochang District downstream of B-bearing river. (3) Groundwater B enrichment originated from mountain rock weathering (dominant source), supplemented by anthropogenic inputs (wastewater/fertilizers), with surface water infiltration being the principal transport pathway. Key controlling processes included pH-dependent speciation, cation exchange, competitive adsorption, dissolution of evaporite, and the mixing, with significant variations between aquifers. (4) The UNMIX model identified four factors: surface water infiltration recharge (36.6%), carbonate-silicate dissolution (21.8%), evaporite dissolution (21.6%), and industrial/agricultural activities (20.0%), with boron primarily originating from surface water infiltration recharge (56.0%). (5) The order of vulnerable segments of the population in terms of risk posed by B in groundwater was: infants > adult men > adult women > children. in the arid region of Northwest China.
丁启振, 周殷竹, 周金龙, 姜凤, 孙英, 雷米, 任乐, 赵水金, 赵纳言, 李军. 吐鲁番盆地绿洲区地下水硼的水文地球化学过程及健康风险[J]. 中国环境科学, 2025, 45(4): 2183-2196.
DING Qi-zhen, ZHOU Yin-zhu, ZHOU Jin-long, JIANG Feng, SUN Ying, LEI Mi, REN Le, ZHAO Shui-jin, ZHAO Na-yan, LI Jun. Hydrogeochemical process and health risk of boron in groundwater in oasis area of Turpan Basin. CHINA ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCECE, 2025, 45(4): 2183-2196.
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