Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Beach Sands Collected From the Mediterranean Coast of Antalya in Türkiye

ABSTRACT The aims of this study are to evaluate the ecological and human health risk of potentially toxic elements in eight beach sands collected from the Mediterranean Coast of Antalya in Türkiye and compare them to x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) and photon activation analysis (PAA) results. The beach sand samples were labeled from S1 to S8. The ecological and human health risk parameters were calculated theoretically. According to the enrichment factor () obtained by XRF analysis, phosphorus (P) for S1 and S4 and chromium (Cr) for S2 are extremely enriched, and according to the obtained by PAA, calcium (Ca) for S1, zinc (Zn) for S1, S2, S4, S5, and S8, and bromine (Br) for S5, S6, and S8 are extremely enriched. The contamination factor () obtained by XRF of Cr for S2 has very high contamination, and the mean of obtained by PAA for Ca and Zn has very high contamination. The pollution load index () obtained by XRF for S3, S5, S6, and S8 has pollution, and the obtained by PAA for all samples except for S8 have pollution. The mean of the hazard index of Cr obtained by XRF is highly hazardous for children. The mean values of hazard quotient due to ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact are lower than unity for adults, and there are no substantial risks associated with non‐carcinogenic risk. Besides, the total cancer risk obtained by XRF of Cr for both child and adult is higher than 1E‐04, and so it is a potential cancer risk. The PAA is more suitable for environmental research. In the future, a more detailed study can be carried out for the same region, and the results obtained can be compared with those of this study.