Uranium (U) levels in drinking water sources in the vicinity of a U mine in the Siavonga district in the Southern Province of Zambia are alarming. The median U concentrations in drinking water sources showed a decreasing trend: streams (135.30 µg/L) > dams (115.62 µg/L) > boreholes (111.31 µg/L) > shallow wells (110.03 µg/L). The U levels in all the samples exceeded the safe limit for drinking water recommended by the World Health Organization, suggesting that the water is not safe for consumption. The mean target hazard quotients (THQ) in all of the water samples exceeded the safe limit (THQ > 1), implying that consumers of this water were at a greater risk of potential non-carcinogenic health effects. The carcinogenic risks from uranium at most of the drinking water sources also exceeded acceptable thresholds (10–6), indicating an increased risk of cancer for the population.

中文翻译：

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赞比亚 Siavonga 区铀矿附近饮用水源中铀污染及相关健康风险的初步评估

赞比亚南部省 Siavonga 地区铀矿附近饮用水源中的铀 (U) 水平令人担忧。饮用水源中 U 浓度中值呈下降趋势：河流（135.30 µg/L）> 水坝（115.62 µg/L）> 钻孔（111.31 µg/L）> 浅井（110.03 µg/L）。所有样品中的 U 水平均超过世界卫生组织推荐的饮用水安全限值，表明该水不可安全饮用。所有水样中的平均目标危害商数 (THQ) 都超过了安全限值 (THQ > 1)，这意味着该水的消费者面临更大的潜在非致癌健康影响风险。大多数饮用水源中铀的致癌风险也超过了可接受的阈值 (10-6)，