Pollution and health risk assessment of soil, water and vegetables from an ion-adsorption rare earth mining area in Ganzhou, China

Rare earth elements (REEs) are increasingly recognized as significant environmental pollutants due to their environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and chronic toxicity. This study assessed REEs pollution in soil, water, and vegetables in an ion-adsorption rare earth mining area in Ganzhou, and evaluated the associated health risks to the local population. Results indicated that the REEs content in soil ranged from 168.58 to 1915.68 mg/kg, with an average of 546.71 mg/kg, substantially surpassing the background level for Jiangxi Province (243.4 mg/kg) and the national average (197.3 mg/kg). Vegetables displayed an average REE content of 23.17 mg/kg in fresh weight, far exceeding the hygiene standard of 0.7 mg/kg. Water samples contained REEs at a concentration of 4.09 µg/L. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of REEs from vegetables exceeded the threshold for subclinical damage, posing potential health risks, particularly for children and adolescents. Further analysis of the adjusted average daily intake (ADI) suggested that while most vegetable consumption remains within safe threshold, the intake of REEs from high-risk vegetables such as pakchoi and radish should be limited.