Trace Elements in Soil and Urban Groundwater in an Area Impacted by Metallurgical Activity: Health Risk Assessment in the Historical Barga Municipality (Tuscany, Italy)

Riccardo Petrini, Lisa Ghezzi (), Simone Arrighi, Lisa Genovesi, Chiara Frassi and Luca Pandolfi
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Riccardo Petrini: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Lisa Ghezzi: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Simone Arrighi: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Lisa Genovesi: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Chiara Frassi: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Luca Pandolfi: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-18

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: trace elements; health risk assessment; heavy metals; Tuscany (Italy); soil contamination; urban environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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