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Areal Health Risk Assessment Using Soil Bioaccessible Heavy Metal(loid)s Around Industrial Area in Nanjing, Southeast China

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Abstract

A systematic protocol for conducting area-specific health risk assessments associated with soil heavy metal(loid)s contamination, incorporating total and bioaccessible metal(loid)s, is outlined in this study. We evaluated total and bioaccessible heavy metal(loid)s levels, along with the associated community health risks, in urban soils around two industrial areas, LH01–LH10 and QX01–QX11, in Nanjing, Southeast China. Our findings unveiled substantial disparities in metal(loid)s concentrations, pollution sources, and population health risks across these sampled areas. Soils from LH03, LH05, LH09, QX09, and QX10 exhibited unacceptable carcinogenic (CR) and non-carcinogenic risks (HI) based on total metal(loid)s concentrations. However, most heavy metal(loid)s were proved non-bioaccessible through oral ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, challenging the over-conservative use of total concentrations in risk assessment. Considering bioaccessible metal(loid)s, CR values decreased from 0.181 × 10–4–1.371 × 10–4 to 0.023 × 10–4–0.080 × 10–4, and HI decreased from 0.163–3.400 to 0.069–1.328 for children. Spatial interpolation underscored variability in health risks, shaped by geographical and climatic conditions, soil properties, and toxic metal(loid)s concentrations, prompting our proposal for a more comprehensive area-specific health risk assessment protocol that integrates bioaccessible metal(loid)s considerations. These findings encapsulated a comprehensive and feasible risk assessment procedure, and provided valuable insights for refining approaches, remediating contaminated soils, and optimizing local and regional environmental policies.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key Agricultural Science and Technology Project of China (NK2022180104).

Funding

National Key Agricultural Science and Technology Project of China, NK2022180104, Jun Jiang

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 821, Nanjing, China

    Yangxiaoxiao Shi, Yadan Wang, Xueqing Zhang, Feng Zhang, Jiaqi Cui, Zhineng Hong, Jun Jiang & Renkou Xu

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Yangxiaoxiao Shi, Zhineng Hong, Jun Jiang & Renkou Xu

  3. Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China/College of Biology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China

    Yadan Wang

  4. College of Resources and Environment, Anqing Normal University, Anqing, 246011, China

    Xueqing Zhang

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  1. Yangxiaoxiao Shi
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Shi, Y., Wang, Y., Zhang, X. et al. Areal Health Risk Assessment Using Soil Bioaccessible Heavy Metal(loid)s Around Industrial Area in Nanjing, Southeast China. Expo Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-024-00643-7

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