Systematic Evaluation and Meta-Analysis of Risk, Toxicity Potential, and Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Risks of Potentially Toxic Elements in Arak City

The industrial areas are located near residential centers in the city of Arak and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pollution is a serious threat to human health and living organisms in this area. Meanwhile, soil contamination by PTEs is one of the challenges in this region and various studies have been conducted in this area. Meta-analysis studies provide a comprehensive evaluation of the results of a subject. In the present study, soil contamination data for PTEs in the 11 years (2009 to 2020) were studied through the studies conducted in Arak. In this study, the risk, potential toxicity, and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of PETs were assessed using indices and mathematical relationships. Based on the results of pollution indices, the soil of Arak city in terms of PETs including Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, As, Pb, Cu, and Hg were categorized into the polluted and highly polluted classes. The soil of the region in terms of PETs has significant ecological risk and acute toxicity. Cadmium, arsenic, and mercury showed the ecological risk of 49.3%, 23.2%, and 18.3% respectively, and nickel, chromium, and arsenic were responsible for 34.7%, 23.03%, and 22.07% of the toxicity potential of PETs in the soil. Arsenic, nickel, and chromium have the highest carcinogenic risk for children in both the ingestion and inhalation pathways, and chromium, arsenic, and nickel have the highest carcinogenic risk from the inhalation pathway for adults. According to the results, the most considerable PETs in the study area including As, Cd, and Pb, and the most important source of their emission in Arak are anthropogenic resources and industries.