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Abstract
The contamination of urban soils with heavy elements due to the rapid development of urbanization and urban services has become a major environmental and human health challenge. This study provides insight into the urbanization controls on combined pollution severity and health risk potential of heavy metals in corn-cultivated urban versus non-urban soils. A multifaceted assessment was conducted using enrichment factor (EF), ecological risk (ER), bioconcentration factor (BCF), transmission factor (TF), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR). The results indicate a significant increase in the concentration of all metals in urban farmlands. When compared to the non-urban soils, EF implies a significant increase of all metals in the urban soil, downgrading this index from minimal enrichment (EF < 2) in the control soils to moderate enrichment (2 ≤ EF < 5) in the urban soils. Likewise, the average ER value showed an increase in the urban soils than in the control soils in the order of Fluvisols (66.6%) > Regosols (66.1%) > Cambisols (59.8%) > Calcisols (47%). The BCF and TF values for different elements decreased in the order of Cd (0.41–0.92) > Cu (0.1–0.23) > Zn (0.1–0.18) > Ni (0.01–0.03) > Pb (0.005–0.011) and Zn (0.75–0.94) > Cu (0.72–0.85) > Pb (0.09–0.63) > Cd (0.17–0.22) > Ni (0.01–0.21), respectively, which indicates that certain metals were not mobilized to the extent that they had been accumulated in the plant roots. The total carcinogenic risk was ranged from 5.88E−05 to 1.17E−04 for children and from 1.17E−04 to 2.30E−04 for adults, which implies a greater associated health risk for children.
Highlights
The contamination of urban soils with heavy elements due to the rapid development of urbanization and urban services has become a major environmental and human health challenge
We determined pollution index (PI), enrichment factor (EF), ecological risk (ER), bioconcentration factor (BCF), and translocation factor (TF), as well as carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk models to assess the effect of urban activities on the pollution status of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni in soil system and its relationship with the health risk of humans in a calcareous-semi-arid region under corn cultivation with four different soil types
Compared to the control soil, the mean EF for the analyzed soils significantly increased in the order of Cd > Pb > Zn > Ni > Cu
Summary
The contamination of urban soils with heavy elements due to the rapid development of urbanization and urban services has become a major environmental and human health challenge. The concentrations of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were within the pollution range in the urban soils of Mexico and Italy[7] These metals in high concentrations in urban soils may damage crops directly by limiting photosynthesis, injuring roots, reducing growth, and causing plant death[4]. Some important examples include traffic emissions, coal and fuel combustion, industrial activities, metal melting facilities, plating, dying, mechanical activities, agricultural activities, sewage, industrial and domestic effluents, and so o n11,12 The introduction of these compounds to urban soils increases the concentration of heavy metals and brings synthetic compounds into these soils, complicating the behavior and properties of urban soils and their response to these e lements[10]. Accumulation and mobilization of urban waste pose a threat to human health, aquatic ecosystems, and urban habitats
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