Comprehensive analysis and review of soil contamination and the associated risks at the Poșta-Rât Industrial Site in Turda, Cluj, Romania

The paper synthesizes existing research on contamination and associated risks from industrial activities at the Poșta-Rât site in Turda, Cluj, Romania. Located in an industrial district, the site was contaminated with hazardous substances, including organochlorine pesticide like hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and dangerous heavy metals (HM), due to uncontrolled dumping of lindane waste between 1954 and 1983. Recent studies reveal significant HCH contamination up to 70 cm deep and high levels of Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Mercury (Hg), and Arsenic (As), far exceeding acceptable limits. The research highlights extreme organochlorine pesticide pollution and bioaccumulative heavy metals, emphasizing the urgent need for remediation and continuous monitoring to mitigate the ecological and health risks in this heavily polluted area.