Abstract
Determination of potentially toxic elements in soils with which children have regular contact can provide valuable information to support health risk assessment. It is also important to engage schoolchildren with soil science so that they become well-informed citizens. The Soils in Scottish Schools project involved pupils across Scotland in the collection of soil from school grounds for determination of copper, lead and zinc. Samples were subjected to microwave-assisted aqua-regia digestion to determine pseudototal analyte concentrations. The simplified bioaccessibility extraction test was applied to estimate bioaccessibility. Analysis was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Pseudototal analyte concentrations varied widely: Cu 15.6–220 mg∙kg−1; Pb 24.6–479 mg∙kg−1 and Zn 52.5–860 mg∙kg−1. Higher concentrations were measured in urban areas, which were historically home to heavy manufacturing industries, with lower concentrations in soils from more rural schools. Bioaccessible analyte concentrations also varied widely (Cu 3.94–126 mg∙kg−1; Pb 6.29–216 mg∙kg−1 and Zn 4.38–549 mg∙kg−1) and followed similar trends to pseudototal concentrations. None of the elements studied posed a significant health risk to children through accidental soil ingestion whilst at play during breaks in the school day, although the relatively high bioaccessible levels of lead at some locations are worthy of further investigation.
Highlights
Pollution of the urban environment with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a global issue [1].In the developing world, rapid and often unregulated urbanisation is causing accumulation of PTEs in soil, whilst many cities in the developed world carry a legacy of urban pollutants from past heavy industry
Results for individual schools were distributed in June 2018, along with a project report containing information on the copper, lead and zinc concentration ranges obtained across all samples
Aqua regia soluble PTE concentrations in the soils from Scottish schools are shown in Table 2, together with some reference values
Summary
Pollution of the urban environment with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a global issue [1]. Generally elevated “urban background” levels of copper, lead and zinc have been reported [10]—these are amongst the PTEs considered indicative of urbanisation [11]. This has been noted in work focused on soil from locations where children play. Results for individual schools were distributed in June 2018, along with a project report containing information on the copper, lead and zinc concentration ranges obtained across all samples. Results are discussed in terms of location, in with respect to Scotland’s main area of urbanization in the central belt, and in terms of potential health risk to pupils who have regular access to these soils
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