Probabilistic human health risk assessment due to potential toxic elements in gold mining-affected areas of Antioquia, Colombia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the probabilistic human health risk (both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) associated with the concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil samples from gold mining-impacted areas in three municipalities of Antioquia, Colombia. Soil samples were collected from the study area, and the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Cr were analyzed. Human exposure to these PTEs was assessed for both adults and children through incidental soil ingestion and dermal contact during outdoor activities. To evaluate the potential adverse health effects, PTEs concentrations were analyzed using the Hazard Index (HI) and Total Cancer Risk (TCR). The minimum and maximum concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Cr were 1.7–892 mg kg⁻¹, 0.1–65.2 mg kg⁻¹, 13.0–2345 mg kg⁻¹, and 5.4–301 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The probabilistic risk analysis indicated HQ and CR values above the safe exposure threshold, suggesting that, if exposure conditions are maintained, residents exposed to contaminated soils may face risks to their health. The results indicate that in Puerto Berrío and Buriticá, a significant proportion of children are exposed to non-carcinogenic risk levels far exceeding safe limits, with Puerto Berrío being the most critical area, where exposure levels surpass the safety threshold by up to 40 times. Overall, the findings of this study provide new scientific evidence that can support data-driven decision-making for the development of regulations and improved environmental management strategies.