Heavy metal contamination of surface soils by anthropogenic activities: concomitant ecological and health risk assessment

The heavy metals in the soil are a condemnatory environmental threat as they expand their toxic effects on the environment as well as human health. The present study is intended to analyse the concentrations of heavy metals (K, Ca, Mg, Ti, Fe, Co, Cu, As, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Pb, and Th) in soil samples congregating near a urea fertiliser factory utilising Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique and evaluate their distinctiveness, emergence and subjection to human. Mean value of Mg, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Zr, Pb and Th in the sampling area was found 14712, 11828, 8607, 4378, 47358, 10.93, 17.04, 151.57, 8.65, 191.08, 191.42, 263.64, 88.69 and 17.55 mg kg⁻¹ respectively. Geo-accumulation index (I_geo), enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF) revealed the sampling sites were practically uncontaminated to moderately contaminated, and minimum to moderately enriched by the elements. Besides, a low level of risk was evaluated from the estimated value of the Ecological risk index (RI). Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Correlation Analysis (CA) and correlation coefficient indicated that the geological and the anthropogenic origins have boosted the elemental concentration in the soil samples. Regardless of age, the Hazard quotient (HQ) and Hazard index (HI) values in all three exposure pathways (HQ/HI < 1) and total lifetime carcinogenic risk (TCR < 1E–06) from the complete exposure path stipulated negligible risk and could cause no obvious health hazards on the surrounding populations. However, children manifested potential receptors of heavy metals compared to adults and were more susceptible to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks.