Human health and ecological risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in agricultural soils of rural areas: A case study in Kurdistan Province, Iran

Background Agricultural soils pollution with heavy metal (loid) s (HMs) can create significant ecological and health problems. The aims of present study were to characterize HMs pollution profile of dry farmland soils in rural areas of Kurdistan province in Iran and evaluate potential associated ecological and health risks. Methods Different indices of Geo-accumulation index (I-Geo), Individual contamination factor (ICF), Nemerow composite pollution index (NCPI) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) were employed to assess the bio-accumulation of the HMs and evaluate associated ecological risks. Human health risks estimated with total hazard index (THI) and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) indices based on ingestion, inhalation and dermal exposure pathways for children and adults. Results As, Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb exceeded the soil standards. The spatial maps of the I-Geo showed that As pollution was at severe level in eastern part of the study region. According to the ICF results, the studied soils were extremely contaminated with As, Cd, Cr, Ni and Zn. Furthermore, based on the pollution indices, some of sampling sites were critically polluted by abovementioned HMs. For children and adults groups, the THI values in 13 and 97% of sampling sites were more than 1 and the TCR in 7 and 14% of sampling sites were more than 10(-4), respectively. The farmland soil pollution of the study area by As and Cr were found to be quite serious and dangerous. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that further attention should be paid by decision-makers to control the HMs pollution in the agricultural soils of the study area.