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Ecological and Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Topsoils, Southeast of Iran

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess ecological and health risk of heavy metals (HMs) in the 35 topsoils in southeastern Iran. Ecological and health risks were assessed based on the EPA method. The order of the HMs followed as: Zn > Cr>Cu>Pb>As>Cd. All samples, except As and Cu, had the moderate enrichment and low to moderate pollution, respectively. The As in both regions and Cu in the city was classified in the lack to minimal enrichment and no pollution category. The studied HMs in both regions were shown a low ecological risk. There was minimal possibility of adverse non-carcinogenic effects. The Cr and As had an acceptable or tolerable carcinogenic risk from ingestion route (ELCRing) in both regions. According to the important role of As, Cd and Cr from the aspect of ecological and health risk, control of their sources must be considered to attenuate ecological and human adverse effets in the studied areas.

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Acknowledgements

This work was made from the MSc thesis that supported by the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology of Kerman University of Medical Sciences under grant number 98001084 and the code of research ethics certificate IR.KMU.REC.1398.628. The authors would like to acknowledge the Environmental Health Engineering Research Center of Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

    Mahsa Hasanzadeh, Mohammad Malakootian, Alireza Nasiri & Maryam Faraji

  2. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

    Mahsa Hasanzadeh, Mohammad Malakootian & Maryam Faraji

  3. Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

    Gea Oliveri Conti & Margherita Ferrante

Authors
  1. Mahsa Hasanzadeh
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  2. Mohammad Malakootian
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  3. Alireza Nasiri
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  4. Gea Oliveri Conti
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  5. Margherita Ferrante
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  6. Maryam Faraji
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Correspondence to Maryam Faraji.

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Hasanzadeh, M., Malakootian, M., Nasiri, A. et al. Ecological and Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Topsoils, Southeast of Iran. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 108, 737–744 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03389-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03389-z

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