New evidence on contributions to ecological-health risk inequality reshaping heavy metal pollution control strategies in surface waters of river basins

Key Points

• Heavy metal pollution inequalities influence ecological-health outcomes across river basins, affecting communities.
• Analysis of ecological-health risk disparities highlights significant impacts of heavy metals on vulnerable populations.
• The observation method utilized river basin assessments to examine pollution control strategies currently in place.
• This study suggests that current strategies may require updates to effectively address ecological-health risks in surface waters.