Pollution and health risk assessment of heavy metals in the soil around an open landfill site in a developing country

Abstract Solid waste has always been an integral part of human life, and the production of these substances is increasing with the growth of the human population. One of the most critical environmental problems of the present age is the release of pollutants from landfills into the soil, surface, and groundwater of the surrounding environment. Thus, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the extent of soil pollution and potential ecological and health risks related to the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) near a landfill site in Kazerun, Iran. Soil samples were collected from inside the landfill (ILA), agricultural land (AGL), and nursery land (NUL) and analyzed for six heavy metals (HMs), including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn. Results revealed that the HMs in ILA soils had moderate n to high pollution risk. As and Cd had the highest concentration in the study area, and all HMs were higher than the background value. Cluster analysis (CA) showed that studied metals might be characterized as two groups: group 1 (Ni, Cu, As, and Cd) related to anthropogenic activities in the study area. In contrast, group 2 (Cr and Zn), was associated with parent materials. The health risk assessment results showed that oral ingestion was the primary exposure path for elements, and children were more vulnerable to harmful health effects. Metals, namely Cu for adults and As, Cr, Cu, and Ni for children, pose maximum cancer risks. HQ and HI values were lower than the threshold limit, indicating no non-carcinogenic health risk to humans. Moreover, possible harmful impacts of HMs accumulation in nature and soil near human settlements call for appropriate planning for discharging toxic waste in these areas.