An integrated approach to the bioavailability, ecological, and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in soils within a barite mining area, SE Nigeria.

Monitoring and assessment of soil quality are important in mining areas. In this study, indexical, spatiotemporal, and chemometric models were developed to monitor and assess the pollution level and health risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) within the Iyamitet-Okurumutet mine province, SE Nigeria. Surface soils were sampled within the mine area and analyzed for pH, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, and PTEs (Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, Fe, Ba) following standard techniques. It was revealed that the soils are slightly acidic and the enrichment of PTEs except for Cd (4.08 mg/kg -1 ) was within recommended standards. Contamination factor, enrichment factor, and pollution index suggest that the soils are moderately polluted. Geospatial maps and ecological risk indices revealed that higher ecological risk imprints seem to increase towards the south-eastern parts of the area. Chemometric analysis revealed that PTE enrichment in the soil is majorly influenced by anthropogenic activities. Further, bioavailability/bioaccessibility risk assessment index (BRAI) and health risk assessment models were developed to quantify the bioavailable/human bioaccessible portion of elements in soils and the associated health risks. The BRAI ranged from high (3 ≥ 5) to very high (> 5) risk of human bioaccessibility; hence, greater amount of PTEs will be bioaccessible for absorption into the human gastrointestinal system than they would for plants uptake. The hazard index and lifetime cancer risk (LCR) revealed that most of the samples present high chronic cancer risks from dermal contact and ingestion for children and adults. The LCR values ranged between 1.0E-6 and 1.0E - 04, with the children population showing greater vulnerability to cancer risks.