Integration path research of water and soil quality investigation and evaluation and human health relationship

Abstract

To effectively support the Healthy China Initiative, China is exploring the development of a geohealth survey. However, due to the insufficient understanding of the concept of geohealthy, aunified working philosophy and technical approach have not yet been formed, which restricts the promotion of this work throughout the country.This paper reviewed the latest research results on the investigation and evaluation of soil and water quality and the prevention and control of endemic disease by employing literature research, qualitative analysis and comparative analysis. Special attention was paid to the research ideas and latest progress of endemic diseases such as fluorosis, arsenism, goiter (including cretinism), Kashin-Beck disease and Keshan disease, which are widely distributed and highly influential in China. It was found that the geohealth survey takes the water and soil quality affecting human health as the core index, which is the major difference between it and the traditional geological surveys.In the geohealth survey, we should ① Strengthen the application of water-rock interaction research methods and groundwater flow system analysis methods, ② Emphasize the analysis of the migration, transformation, and exposure pathways of elements in the earth superficial spheres of lithosphere-soilosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere-biosphere, and ③ Insist on the principles of combining earth system science and life science, combining systemic monitoring of multi-factors with single-factor dominant observation, combining investigation and monitoring of geological environment and human health indicators, and combining comprehensive regional investigation with the typical case study. It is suggested to orderly promote the tasks of geohealth survey, monitoring, evaluation, zoning and intelligent services, and deploy keyworks such as ensuring safe water supply, providing healthy drinking water, developing high-quality water, delineating inferior plots, developing high-quality arable land, and planning agricultural parks with beneficial elements. A cross-scale background investigation of water and soil quality, resource attribute analysis and social value assessment was proposed, with varying focus on different scales: overall control at the regional scale, fine characterization at the watershed scale, key anatomy monitoring at the village and town scale, and exploration and demonstration of engineering measures at the point. A conceptual framework of the relationship between water and soil quality and human health was constructed, and the control thresholds of key factors were screened to meet the population′s health needs for safety, fairness, happiness, culture, and sustainability. The results of this study clarify the core tasks and main directions of the current geohealth survey, providing a reference for decision-making in the advancement and deployment of this work, which is still in the exploratory stage.

Keywords

• human health
• water and soil quality investigation
• endemic diseases
• geohealth survey