Geospatial mapping of health risk from trace metal(loid)s in the soil at an abandoned painting factory

Abstract

A survey was made to analyze the geostatistical (GIS) distribution of the health risk of toxic trace metal(loid)s in the industrial soil located in the facility of an abandoned paints manufacturing company. A total of eighty surface soil samples were collected, and their concentrations determined. The mean concentration values of the elements were 7.8; 2.7; 55; 49; 0.21; 56; 114; and 239 mg/kg for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn, respectively. There was no non-carcinogenic health risk from the soil samples for adults, but it was hazardous soil for children with the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) values exceeding the reference value of 10-4 for all studied samples. Most contributing toxic metal(loid)s to non-carcinogenic risk were Cr and As, whereas Pb and As were most responsible for cancer risk. Geospatial mapping of the hazard index (HI) and ELCR localized different hotspots seriously polluted by toxic metal(loid)s, which pose a significant risk in the area. These hotspots coincided with the evidence of transport-related activities and spillage of chemicals in the past. This GIS spatial distribution study could be a valuable aid in remediation planning.