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Potentially toxic elements’ occurrence and risk assessment through water and soil of Chitral urban environment, Pakistan: a case study

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Abstract

This study investigated the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) including copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), molybdenum (Mo) and manganese (Mn) in water and soil of the Chitral city, Pakistan. For this purpose, water (n = 66) and soil (n = 48) samples were collected from various locations of the Chitral city and analyzed for the PTE concentrations. Determined PTE concentrations were evaluated for the human and ecological potential risk. Results revealed that hazard quotient through water consumption was less than the threshold limit (1). However, for soil, the Fe mean hazard index (HI > 1) value for children only surpassed the threshold limits. The mean cancer risk index values via soil exposure were higher (RI > 1 × 10–4) through consumption of Co, Ni and Cd for children and only Co for adults. Contamination factor (CF) values for Mo, Cd and Fe were found very high, considerable and moderate for 79%, 8% and 77% of sampling sites, respectively. Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) showed that soils were moderately–heavily polluted due to Mo. Potential ecological risk index (PERI) values exhibited considerable risk with an average risk index value in the range 190 < RI < 380. Higher values of CF, Igeo and PERI revealed the presence of pollution and pose risk to ecological environment.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Institute of Chemical Sciences (ICS), University of Peshawar. The authors also acknowledge Mr. Muhammad Yaqub, AKRSP Hospital, Chitral, for helping them to achieve detailed insights about the health issues in the area.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Inayat ur Rehman, Muhammad Ishaq & Muhammad Yaseen

  2. Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories Complex, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Inayat ur Rehman

  3. National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Liaqat Ali, Said Muhammad & Imran Ud Din

  4. Department of Chemistry, Islamia College University, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Hameed Ullah

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  1. Inayat ur Rehman
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  2. Muhammad Ishaq
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Rehman, I.u., Ishaq, M., Ali, L. et al. Potentially toxic elements’ occurrence and risk assessment through water and soil of Chitral urban environment, Pakistan: a case study. Environ Geochem Health 42, 4355–4368 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-020-00531-4

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