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Abstract
We examined the pollution characteristics of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in road dust (RD) from nine industrial areas in South Korea to assess PTE pollution levels and their environmental risks for devising better strategies for managing RD. The median concentrations (mg/kg) were in the order Zn (1407) > Cr (380) > Cu (276) > Pb (260) > Ni (112) > As (15) > Cd (2) > Hg (0.1). The concentration of PTEs was the highest at the Onsan Industrial Complex, where many smelting facilities are located. Our results show that Onsan, Noksan, Changwon, Ulsan, Pohang, and Shihwa industrial areas are heavily polluted with Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb. The presence of these toxic elements in RD from the impervious layer in industrial areas may have a moderate to severe effect on the health of the biota present in these areas. The potential ecological risk index (Eri) for PTEs was in the decreasing order of Cd > Pb > Hg > Cu > As > Zn > Ni > Cr, indicating that the dominant PTE causing ecological hazards is Cd owing to its high toxicity. Our research suggests the necessity for the urgent introduction of an efficient management strategy to reduce RD, which adds to coastal pollution and affects human health.
Highlights
In view of rapid and intense industrialization, several studies have been conducted on soils [1,2], stream sediments [3,4], river sediments [5] and road dust (RD) or road-deposited sediments [6,7]around industrial areas that are significantly contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs).The levels of PTEs in soils and RD are comparatively higher in industrial areas than in urban areas [8,9].Trace metals present in soils are difficult to migrate owing to their long residual time and strong concealment [4]
The median magnetic susceptibility of RD ranged from 76 × 10−6 to 346 × 10−6 SI units, with the highest value observed at the Pohang Steel Industrial Complex (PH)
RD and associated PTEs are discharged into coastal environments during wet seasons without any treatment
Summary
In view of rapid and intense industrialization, several studies have been conducted on soils [1,2], stream sediments [3,4], river sediments [5] and road dust (RD) or road-deposited sediments [6,7]around industrial areas that are significantly contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs).The levels of PTEs in soils and RD are comparatively higher in industrial areas than in urban areas [8,9].Trace metals present in soils are difficult to migrate owing to their long residual time and strong concealment [4]. The levels of PTEs in soils and RD are comparatively higher in industrial areas than in urban areas [8,9]. Pollution caused by PTEs present in RD has become an interesting topic of research because RD is an important carrier of PTEs and can contribute as a non-point source to runoff pollution in urban areas [6,10]. Industrial activities, such as metal processing and smelting, and industrial emissions are major sources of PTE pollution in industrial areas [11,12]. In the past decade, there has been an interest in the quality of ambient air subjected to dry deposition [17,18,19] and in Atmosphere 2020, 11, 1366; doi:10.3390/atmos11121366 www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere
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