Risk analysis of a farm area near a lead- and cadmium-contaminated industrial site

摘要

The risk to which the residents of the Asua Valley, Spain, are exposed as a result of soil/dust ingestion and consumption of locally grown fresh produce was estimated, and the areas that may require environmental clean-up highlighted. The relation between Pb and Cd content in soil and plant samples was assessed by multiple linear regression. The level of soil lead content for proposing intervention was determined by assessing the exposure of young children due to soil ingestion, assuming a 'central-estimate' ingestion rate of 110 mg/day. Vegetable sampling was stratified according to the level of Cd in the soil. The intervention content of Cd was established as the midpoint of the soil sampling stratum previous to the one registering a vegetable consumption hazard quotient of 1. In this interval the intake reached 57% of the TDI.