Abstract:
This study assesses heavy metal (HM) contamination in soils of an urban industrial zone
using statistical and spatial analysis methods. Concentrations of 12 key HMs, including
Zn, Pb, Cu, and Ni, were measured using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), with values exceeding background levels several times in certain areas. Pollution indices such as the
Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Total Pollution Indicator (Zc) revealed moderate to high
contamination levels, with PLI values ranging from 1.05 to 3.38 and Zc values between
0.67 and 51.34. Health risk assessments indicated that the hazard quotients (HQ)
exceeded safe thresholds in hotspots, highlighting potential risks. Spatial distribution maps
identified industrial activities as the primary source of contamination. Specifically, according to the PLI, approximately 93.757% of the studied area is classified as moderately contaminated, while 0.702% is considered significantly contaminated. These findings provide
a baseline for monitoring and mitigating soil pollution in industrial regions while offering
insights for sustainable land management.
