Bioavailability of Metals in Soil and Health Risk Assessment for Populations Near an Indian Chromite Mine Area

Soils contaminated with toxic metals may be environmental hazards and sources of exposure to human population. Soils in mining areas are among the most heavily contaminated by metals from the mining activity. This study was focused on metals of interest in bioavailability studies using single and sequential extraction methods. Results of geochemical fractionation suggest that changes in soil characteristics may enhance the mobilization of Cu, Cr, Zn, and Al. The observed metals' availability pattern was Cr > Cu > Zn > Al. However, the pattern of total contents of metals in soils was Al > Cr > Zn > Cu. Risks to human adults and children from selected metals through soil ingestion was assessed in terms of incremental lifetime average daily dose (LADD), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI). The estimated LADDs and HI were within acceptable reference doses and less than 1, respectively, indicating low risk to human populations from the studied metals through soil ingestion in the studied mine area. The generated data may be useful in remediation of contaminated soils with metals.