Pollution and health risk assessment of rare earth elements in 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 REEs 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) and non-carcinogenic risk suggested that while most vegetable consumption remains within safe threshold, the intake of REEs from high-risk vegetables such as pakchoi should be limited. Overall, carcinogenic risks associated with lifetime cancer risk (LCR) model for REEs exposure through vegetables and water were found to be low in this area.