Assessment of heavy metal contamination levels and health risks in environmental media in the northeast region

• Analyze heavy metal contamination levels in soil, water, and air. • Heavy metals from media are hazardous to human health in many ways. • Major pollution is affected by industry and agriculture. • Characterization of human contamination by heavy metals in human hair. • Environment causes health hazards to humans and makes sustainability suggestions. Rapid development in Northeast China has brought serious heavy metal pollution to the environmental media (soil, surface water and air). This paper presents a study on the spatial and temporal distribution, source analysis, potential ecological risk and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in environmental media in Northeast China, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for controlling and reducing heavy metal pollution. The study shows the following results:1. Developed cities in Jilin Province (Changchun and Jilin) have the most serious heavy metal pollution. 2. The main sources of heavy metals in soil are metallurgical production and agricultural production. The main sources of heavy metals in surface water are industrial production, domestic waste, and sewage. The main sources of heavy metals in the air are vehicle emissions, biomass combustion and coal burning for winter heating. The sources of heavy metals are listed in order of decreasing significance in all three cases above. 3. Soil, surface water and air heavy metal concentrations all have a significant impact on human health. 4. Heavy metals in soil, surface water and air are an ecological risk and already pose a carcinogenic risk to humans.