Micrometalloid Accumulation in Mono- and PolycultureAgrosoils: Spatial Trends and Human Health Risk Assessment

OpenAlex İngilizce

The primary objective of this research was to investigate the accumulation and spatial distribution of micrometalloids (MMs) in agricultural soils affected by various activities, assess their ecological, environmental, and human health risks, and identify their potential sources using multivariate statistical analyses. A total of 468 surface soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected over a 12,313 km2 area using a grid sampling method. Samples were subjected to wet digestion with aqua regia and analyzed for 10 MMs (Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Al, and Cd) by ICP-OES. Ecological and environmental risk indices – including I_geo, EF, Cf, PLI, Er, and RI – were computed, and health risks were assessed through carcinogenic (CR) and non-carcinogenic (NCR) metrics. Principal component and factor analyses, along with kriging interpolation, were applied to delineate MM sources and to generate spatial distribution maps. The study revealed notable enrichment of Cd, Ni, and Cu, with Cd posing a particularly high ecological and environmental risk. Multivariate analyses indicated that while Fe, Al, Pb, and Co predominantly originated from natural (lithogenic) sources, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, and Cr were influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. The health risk assessments generally indicated minimal non-carcinogenic risks; however, children were found to be more susceptible than adults. The findings underscore the detrimental impact of unsustainable agricultural practices on MM accumulation in agrosoils, particularly regarding Cd enrichment. They highlight the urgent need for improved soil management and cost-effective remediation measures – such as bioremediation – to mitigate potential environmental and human health risks.