Scientific Reports· 2026Q1
Spatial distribution and health risk assessment of airborne and soil-bound lead in an industrial zone
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Lead concentrations in air and soil exceeded EPA limits in hotspots within Iran's Salafchegan industrial zone, posing a significant health risk, particularly to children under five.
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Key points
- Lead hotspots identified in air and soil around industrial areas and high-traffic zones in Salafchegan industrial zone.
- Some locations exceeded EPA limits by 1.2x (air) and 2.6x (soil).
- Hazard Index and carcinogenic risk exceeded safe limits for children under five and other age groups.
- Ingestion and inhalation are the primary exposure pathways for lead.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Contamination of air and soil with Lead (Pb) is a great global concern. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the Pb content in the atmosphere and soil at 56 sampling sites in the Salafchegan industrial zone located in Qom province, Iran. The results indicated that Pb accumulated in air and soil media. The geostatistical analysis of Pb showed that pollution hotspots were detected around industrial areas as well as in sites with intense vehicular traffic. Although the average concentration of Pb in the air (0.013 µg/m3) and soil (3.05 mg/kg), were lower than the limit of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in some polluted zones, the Pb concentrations exceeded more than 1.2 and 2.6 times in the air and soil, respectively. Ingestion and inhalation were the main pathways of Pb exposure. Hazard Index (HI) values in some land use areas and children under five years were above EPA's safe limit. HI value for children was above 1. The carcinogenic risk analysis showed that higher carcinogenic risk from the acceptable limit (1 × 10− 6) was presented in different age groups in the sampling sites. Consequently, children are considered a high-risk group for Pb exposure in studied areas.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Scientific Reports, 2026 · DOI ↗
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