Status, spatial distribution, and health risk assessment of potentially harmful element from road dust in steel industry city, China

Abstract

A total of forty-five road dust samples were collected from a steel industry city in China and analyzed for Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of Cd, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Cr in road dust samples were 2.29, 83.50, 163.74, 272.04, and 700.19 mg/kg, respectively. The spatial distribution maps of potentially harmful elements revealed that steel industrial district and heavy traffic could serve as the contamination hotspots. The calculated Igeo for the potential harmful elements ranged from uncontaminated to serious contaminated levels. The findings of $$ {E}_r^i $$ showed that low (Cd, Cr, and Ni) to moderate (Cu and Pb) risks, while those of PRI indicated 64% and 36% samples with low and moderate risks, respectively. The HI values of Cr (3.81) and Pb (1.13) for children were higher than the safe level 1, indicating that children are facing excessive threats of Cr and Pb. Conversely, the RI values of Cd, Cr, and Ni were lower than 1E-04, indicating that children and adults are at acceptable risk of potentially harmful elements. Based on our results, the local government should improve the iron and steel smelting process, control the number of motor vehicles, and strengthen the road traffic dust pollution control.