Combining human and snail indicators for an integrative risk assessment of metal(loid)-contaminated soils

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2021-05, Vol.409, p.124182, Article 124182
• Main Authors: Louzon, M., Pauget, B., Pelfrêne, A., Gimbert, F., de Vaufleury, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioaccessibility; Bioavailability; Carcinogenic risk Cantareus aspersus; Ecotoxicology; Environment and Society; Environmental Sciences; Hazard quotient; Life Sciences; Metal(loid)s; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124182

With the new soil uses such as land restoration and to protect wilderness, the human health risk assessment (HHRA) and environmental risk assessment (ERA) should be combined. Based on the relationships demonstrated between an indicator of soil quality, the land snail, and human exposure, the aim of this study is to examine the snail and human risk indicators for twenty-nine soils contaminated by metal(loid)s. HHRA was evaluated by both hazard quotient and carcinogenic risk. When the human health indicators were ranked as uncertain, they were weighted by bioaccessibility to refine the risk assessment. The ERA was performed with risk coefficient after ex situ snail exposure. The results showed strong and novel relationships between human health and environmental risk indicators that had never been found before. For 62% of the soils, both indicators revealed either a confirmed risk or an uncertain level of risk. Overall pollutants present greater risk for human than for environment, with 55 vs 28% of the studied soils classified in the proven risk, respectively. An original integrative risk assessment of polluted soils has been proposed, that shall help setting up relevant strategies to manage contaminated soils considering not only human but also environmental indicators of risk. [Display omitted] •Decrease the uncertainty of human health risks of soils with the bioaccessibility.•Assess the bioavailability to snails is a way to determine the environmental risks.•For 62% of the soils, both indicators revealed either a proven or an uncertain risk.•Environmental risks are lower than human risk for the set of studied soils.•Proposal of an innovative methodology to manage the polluted sites.