Pollution and health risk assessment of trace metal in vegetable field soils in the Eastern Nile Delta, Egypt

The accumulation of trace metals in vegetable field soils is of increasing worry because of the potential health hazards and their detrimental effects on soil ecosystems. To investigate the state of trace metal pollution in vegetable field soils, 60 surface soil samples were collected from vegetable fields across the Eastern Nile Delta region, Egypt. The results concluded that the concentrations of Cu, Mn, and Ni were lesser than their corresponding background values, while the concentrations of Cd, Co, Pb, and Zn were exceeding their background values. The pollution indices showed that the studied soil experienced low to moderate contamination and the Cd and Cr contamination was serious. The hazard index values of nine trace metals signified that there was no adverse non-carcinogenic risk for adults and children. The carcinogenic risk of Cd, Co, Ni, and Pb for both age groups was within acceptable limits, while Cr had critical carcinogenic hazards for children. Overall, the quality of studied soils is relatively safe, although some samples impose serious pollution problems of Cd and Cr. Thus, properly monitored trace metals and soil management action should be applied to reduce further soil pollution in vegetable fields in the Eastern Nile Delta. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10661-022-10199-1.