Pollution Index and Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals in the Surface Soils of Amir-Abad Area in Birjand City, Iran

Abstract

Background:In the present era, the concentration of heavy metals in the environment is increasing. Due to the deleterious effects of these metals on human health as well as their dangerous consequences on ecosystem, special attention should be paid to remove them from the environment. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the ecological risk of heavy metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr) in surface soils of an Amir-Abad Area in Birjand City, Iran. Materials and Methods: Soil Samples were collected from a depth of 0-20 cm at 16 stations with different users. The samples were passed through a 2-mm sieve after air drying. To determine the concentration of heavy metals, the samples were extracted by acid chloride and nitric acid and total concentrations of toxic elements were read using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The pollution index and ecological risk assessments were calculated for each element. Results:The results showed that the ecological risk of surface soil for the users of the road-residential was high (1370.72) and notable (505.04), and the agricultural land use and livestock had the moderate ecological risk and dairy farm had low ecological risk. When the results of this study were compared to world standards, it was suggested that the areas with the road-residential areas were considered to be dangerous to health; this was directly related to developments of technology and pollution. Conclusions: It can be concluded that residential-road land uses show the considerable pollution index and ecological risk.

Cadmium and Lead Disruption in Soils Around the Hegmatan Cement Factory, Iran

“…Heavy metals are mainly introduced into agricultural soils by pesticides, fertilizers, soil amendments, wastewater irrigation, and other scattered, diffuse pollution sources such as industry, traffic emissions, and incineration (3). Further, the mean concentrations of Pb and Cd in the surface soils around the factory were lower than their concentrations in the earth's crust (Cd: 0.2, Pb: 14 mg/kg) (29,30), indicating low contamination in the studied soils. Kamani et al (31) expressed that the low levels of lead in urban soils may be related to the banning of leaded gasoline in Iran.…”

Investigation of heavy metals accumulation in the soil and pine trees

“…Various studies of ecological risk assessment showed that Pb caused various diseases in humans like kidney problems, liver diseases, and cancer (45,46). Thus, Pb can affect the local ecological function in the long run and currently, it does not have the ability to create health and environmental problems (47)(48)(49). So, it is important to consider the levels of heavy metals to inhibit the potential hazards of these metals in the environment.…”

Atmospheric Heavy Metals Biomonitoring Using a Local Pinus eldarica Tree

“…The most likely causes of high Pb concentrations in the study area are old automobiles driven with leaded petrol, the combustion of the diesel oil, and the manufacturing and metallurgical processes. 4 Health Scope. 2017; 6(1):e39241.…”

“…There are various anthropogenic sources and activities, which are responsible for releasing HMs into the atmosphere such as incomplete burning of multiple types of fuel in industrial activity, transportation and power plants. In contrast, transportation is recognized as the most important source of HMs in urban areas and has attracted increasing interest in this context (2)(3)(4)(5).…”