Evaluation of Some Potentially Toxic Elements and Associated Ecological and Health Risks in Topsoil Samples Adjacent to an Industrial Zone in Turkey

Potentially toxic element (PTE) pollution as a result of industrial activities remains a global problem that poses serious threats to human and ecological health. PTEs (Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, V, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Co, and As) are metals or metalloids with biological toxicity. This study analyzed the concentrations of these PTEs and the physicochemical properties of topsoil samples collected from areas near industrial districts in the Samsun province of Turkey to evaluate ecological and health risks, estimating various indexes. The average concentrations of Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, V, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Co, and As analyzed in 23 topsoil samples by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry were found as 93,822, 82,410, 6623, 1642, 406, 278, 207, 149, 78, 68, 32, and 10 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Co levels exceed the maximum contaminant levels in the Turkish Regulation on the Control of Soil Pollution. The average pH values, organic matter, total organic carbon, and nitrogen measured in soil samples were 7.14, 6.11, 0.96, and 0.04%, respectively. The ecological and health evaluation reveals that the studied area is polluted with V, Cu, Zn, As, Ni, and Pb, which may pose a risk to people living in settlements near the industrial district.