Characterization and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Topsoil of Agricultural Land from an Agate Dyeing Village
摘要
To investigate the impact of agate dyeing on the surrounding farmland, a total of 118 soil samples were collected from farmland surrounding an agate dyeing village. These samples were analyzed for metal concentrations and soil contamination of Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn. Additionally, an ecological risk assessment was conducted along with an assessment of health risks for residents through oral ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. The results of the Nemerow complex indices showed that the eight heavy metals exceeded the warning line. High concentrations of Ni were present in areas around village, likely due to the presence of metallic Ni in the agate stain. The risk assessment revealed that the potential ecological risk in the study area was classified as low to medium. However, the total carcinogenic risk for both children and adults exceeded the acceptable threshold of 10–6, indicating an unacceptable risk. On the other hand, the total non-carcinogenic hazard quotients were within acceptable limits. Oral ingestion was the primary pathway of exposure.