The evaluation of heavy metals in transylvania, as predictor for the health status of the exposed population

• Published in: Environmental geochemistry and health 2021, Vol.43 (1), p.585-599
• Main Authors: Popa, Doriana Maria, Moldovan, Mărioara, Prodan, Doina, Aldea, Cornel, Lazăr, Călin, Lazea, Cecilia, Crişan, Mirela, Sur, Lucia Maria, Man, Sorin C., Borzan, Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminium; Aluminum; Arsenic; Cadmium; Calcium; Chromium; Chronic intoxication; Contamination; Copper; Depreciation; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecosystem; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exposure; Geochemistry; Health Status; Heavy metals; Humans; Industrial plants; Intoxication; Iron; Magnesium; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Methods; Original Paper; Population studies; Public Health; Romania; Side effects; Silicon; Silver; Soil - chemistry; Soil contamination; Soil erosion; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; Soil pollution; Soil Science & Conservation; Spectrometry; Terrestrial Pollution; Titanium; Trace elements; Trace Elements - analysis; Trace Elements - toxicity; Trace metals; Zinc
• ISSN: 0269-4042; 1573-2983
• DOI: 10.1007/s10653-020-00750-9

It is well known and proven that heavy metal contamination of the soils can severely affect the health of the people living in the contaminated areas given the ease with which trace elements can enter the human body. In addition-to agricultural crop depreciation as well as soil erosion, soil pollution can negatively affect the natural function of ecosystems. While certain heavy metals in high doses can be harmful to the body, others such as cadmium, mercury, lead, chromium, silver and arsenic in minimal amounts have delusional effects on the body, causing acute and chronic intoxication. Our research is focused on the identification of heavy metals from the soil (O, Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, Pb, Si, Ti, Zn) in 3 areas in Transylvania where factories were in operation, using 4 methods: UV–VIS spectrometry, AAS, SEM-EDAX and X-ray diffractions. High levels of very toxic trace elements such as lead, aluminum, cadmium were found near the studied areas, especially using SEM-EDAX and AAS methods. Knowledge on the soil concentration of TEs, the time exposure and the side effects can lead us to predict the health status of the exposed population. In our study, by determinating the concentration of TEs we set out to formulate a prediction on the health status of the exposed population using literature data.