Trace Elements in Soil and Urban Groundwater in an Area Impacted by Metallurgical Activity
Health Risk Assessment in the Historical Barga Municipality (Tuscany, Italy)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15512671 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Riccardο Petrini (0000-0002-2390-5748, University of Pisa), Lisa Ghezzi (0000-0003-4562-2375, University of Pisa, corresponding author), Simone Arrighi (0000-0002-1330-4447, University of Pisa), Lisa Genovesi (University of Pisa), Chiara Frassi (0000-0002-7522-9905, University of Pisa), Luca Pandolfi (0000-0002-6129-647X, University of Pisa) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 20 |
| Pages | 13419-13419 |
| Publication date | 2022-10-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601 |
| Publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3390/ijerph192013419 |
| PMID | 36294000 |
| OpenAlex | W4306659277 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 7 |
Trace elements were measured in soil and groundwater collected within the Fornaci di Barga urban area (Serchio River Valley, Tuscany, Italy), a territory that integrates natural assets with touristic vocation, impacted by long-lasting metallurgical activity. Epidemiological studies highlighted that the area surrounding the industrial plants is characterized by a persistent excess of diseases, attributed to heavy metal pollution. Soils were taken in school gardens, public parks, sport grounds and roadsides. The results indicate that Cu, Zn and Cd represent the main contaminants in surface soil, likely originated by deposition of airborne particulate matter from metallurgical activity. Risk assessment considering soil ingestion and dermal contact exposure routes revealed that the cadmium Hazard Quotient approaches unity for children, and the cadmium risk-based concentration obtained by combining exposure information with toxicity data is only slightly lower compared with the cadmium maximum concentration actually measured in soil. Groundwater does not show evidence of trace metal contamination, suggesting that the migration of contaminants from soil to subsurface is a slow process. However, assessment of the possible interconnections between shallow and deep-seated aquifers requires monitoring to be continued. The obtained results highlight the possible link between space clusters of diseases and metal concentration in soil
Aquifer · Cadmium · Contamination · Deposition (geology · Groundwater · Hazard quotient · Heavy metals · Metal · Metallurgy · Sediment · Soil contamination · Soil water · Trace metal · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity · Heavy metals in environment · Radioactivity and Radon Measurements · Environmental Chemistry · Environmental Engineering · Geology · Pollution · Soil Science
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |