Quantifying Heavy Metal Accumulation in Soil and Vegetation Surrounding Industrial Areas: A Comprehensive Environmental Toxicology Study

Abstract

Background: Industrial activities release significant amounts of heavy metals into the environment, contaminating soil and vegetation. This pollution poses severe risks to ecosystems and human health, making it a crucial area of study. Objective: To quantify the accumulation of heavy metals in soil and vegetation surrounding industrial areas and assess the ecological risks associated with this contamination. Methods: The study involved quantitative analysis of soil and plant samples from industrial and control areas. Heavy metals analyzed included lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, chromium, and nickel. Methods included atomic absorption spectroscopy for metal quantification, bioaccumulation factor (BAF) calculation for plants, and ecological risk assessment using the ecological risk index (ERI). Results: Soil samples from industrial zones showed significantly higher concentrations of lead (175 mg/kg), cadmium (8 mg/kg), and chromium (90 mg/kg) compared to control areas (lead: 30 mg/kg, cadmium: 2 mg/kg, chromium: 20 mg/kg). Plant tissues from these areas also revealed elevated levels of lead (12 mg/kg), cadmium (2 mg/kg), and nickel (8 mg/kg), against lower concentrations in control samples (lead: 3 mg/kg, cadmium: 0.5 mg/kg, nickel: 2 mg/kg). The ecological risk index underscored a high risk in industrial zones (ERI = 85) compared to control areas (ERI = 30). Conclusion: The study highlights the critical contamination of soil and vegetation with heavy metals near industrial zones and the consequent ecological risks. These findings emphasize the need for immediate remediation strategies and stricter regulatory frameworks to mitigate the impacts of this pollution.