Toxicity evaluation of selected metal(loid)s (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, As) was performed on samples of soil and particulate matter obtained from the highly industrialized region of Ostrava, Czech Republic. In vitro tests simulating gastric and lung fluids were used to assess the exposure risk for humans, as well as metal(loid) bioaccessibility. Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) originating from industrial activities and domestic heating have been suggested to be the most important pollutants. Based on the results, the potential risk for the age group of 3-year-old children could be recognized, particularly in the cases of As, Pb and Cd for both oral and inhalation exposure. Arsenic exhibits up to 8.5x higher intake than the tolerable daily intake and 2.5x higher concentrations in atmospheric PM10 than the tolerable concentration in the air.
Francová A., Chrastný V., Vítková M., Šillerová H., Komárek M., 2020. Health risk assessment of metal(loid)s in soil and particulate matter from industrialized regions: A multidisciplinary approach. Environmental Pollution 260, 114057. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114057
Read the paper here.