Ecological risk assessment of trace elements pollution and human health risk exposure in agricultural soils used for Saffron cultivation

Abstract

Abstract Contamination of farmland soils by trace elements has become an international issue concerning food safety and human health risks. In the present research, the concentrations of trace elements including cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) in soils of 16 farmlands was determined in Gonabad, Iran. In addition, the human health risks due to exposure to the trace elements from the soils were assessed. Moreover, the soil contamination likelihood was evaluated based on various contamination indices including contamination factor \((\text{C}\text{F}\)), enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), and pollution load index (PLI) calculations. The soil mean concentrations for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and Fe ranges as 0.102, 6.968, 22.550, 29.263, 475.281, 34.234, 13.617, 54.482 and 19683.6 mg/kg in farmland soils. The mean concentrations of the trace elements decreased in the order of Fe > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cu > Cr > Pb > Co > As > Cd. Levels of all metals in this study were within the FAO/WHO and Iranian soil standards. The HQ values from investigated elements for adults and children in the studies farms was less than the limit of 1, indicating no health risks for the studied subpopulations. The results of the present research indicated no significant carcinogenic health hazards for both adults and children through ingestion, skin contact and inhalation exposure routes. \(\text{C}\text{F}\) values of for Ni and Zn in 100 % an 6.25 % offarmlands were above 1, showing moderate contamination conditions. EF values of metals in farmlands were recorded as “no enrichment”, “minimal enrichment” and “moderate enrichment” classes. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the all farms were uncontaminated except Ni (moderately contaminated) based on Igeo. PLI showed no contaminated conditions in the entire area. This is an indication that the selected trace elements in the agricultural soils have no appreciable threat to human health.