Nitrate Contamination in Groundwater of the Nansi Lake Region: Source Apportionment, Driving Mechanisms, and Health Risk Assessment

To identify the sources and driving mechanisms of nitrate contamination in pore water around Nansi Lake, 54 pore water samples were analyzed via hydrogeochemical analysis, Gibbs diagrams, ionic ratios, and principal component analysis (PCA). The pore water is predominantly slightly alkaline, with dominant cations Ca 2+ and Na + , and anions HCO 3 − and SO 4 2− . Nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 − -N) concentrations range from 0.82 to 54.31 mg·L −1 , with a coefficient of variation of 1.41 and an exceedance rate of 18.52%, indicating significant external inputs. A positive correlation between NO 2 − and NO 3 − suggests denitrification in some areas. Nitrate concentrations exhibit distinct spatial heterogeneity: high concentrations occur in agricultural/aquaculture lakeside plains and urban areas, low concentrations near coal mining subsidence zones, and transitional zones showing outward diffusion. Nitrate sources are predominantly anthropogenic. High Cl − and low NO 3 − /Cl − ratios indicate domestic and aquaculture wastewater infiltration, whereas low Cl − and high NO 3 − /Cl − ratios indicate agricultural fertilizer input. Industrial and natural sources are minor. PCA identified three controlling factors (cumulative variance 69.81%): coal mining and industrial/domestic pollution (39.82%), carbonate rock weathering (19.44%), and agricultural activities (10.55%). Health risk assessment shows no significant risk for adults (hazard quotient (HQ) < 1), but children face localized risks at nine sites (HQs of 1.25–2.26) in intensive farming, urban, and transitional zones. Excessive fertilizer application and sewage leakage are the primary causes, posing methemoglobinemia risks to infants. This study provides a scientific basis for nitrate pollution control and sustainable water management in the Nansi Lake Basin and offers methodological insights for similar lacustrine plain regions.