A New Ecological Risk Assessment Method of Heavy Metals in Sediments and Soil

Abstract

The aim of this work was to derive a new modified equation to assess the potential ecological risk \(\left( {E_{r} } \right)\) of heavy metals in riverine sediments and soils. The new equation calculates the ecological risk \(\left( {E_{r} } \right)\) in terms of the geoaccumulation index \(\left( {I_{geo} } \right)\). Six new equations were derived to assess the \(E_{r}\) of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. The \(E_{r}\) of heavy metals in sediments of the Euphrates, Iraq and the Tiete River, Brazil was assessed using the new equation. The \(E_{r}\) was also assessed for the heavy metals in soils of Fallujah, Iraq and Tarkwa, Ghana. Results of application of the new equation were compared with those resulted from common equation (Hakanson’s equation). Results of the comparison give credibility to use the new equation for ecological risk assessment. The effect of the reference value and concentration of heavy metal on \(E_{r}\) value was investigated.