Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Metal(loid)s in Bottom Sediments Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment Cover

Metal(loid)s in Bottom Sediments Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment

Architecture, Civil Engineering, Environment
Volume 18 (2025): Issue 1 (March 2025)
By: Malwina Tytła,  Alina Pohl and  Joanna Kernert  
Open Access
|May 2025

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Location of water reservoirs [33, 34]. Where A) Lake Gardno; B) Lake Swarzędzkie; C) Lake Szczutowskie; D) Wisła-Czarne dam Reservoir
Location of water reservoirs [33, 34]. Where A) Lake Gardno; B) Lake Swarzędzkie; C) Lake Szczutowskie; D) Wisła-Czarne dam Reservoir

Figure 2.

Metal(loid)s concentrations in bottom sediments
Metal(loid)s concentrations in bottom sediments

Results of carcinogenic risk assessment_

CARCINOGENIC RISK
Metal(loid)sAdultsChildren
CRingCRdermalTCRCRingCRdermalTCR
Lake Gardno
Cd8.95×10−83.57×10−108.99×10−81.57×10−74.39×10−101.57×10−7
Cr1.68×10−62.68×10−71.95×10−62.94×10−63.30×10−73.27×10−6
Ni3.97×10−63.96×10−74.37×10−66.95×10−64.87×10−77.44×10−6
Pb2.83×10−8nd2.83×10−84.96×10−8nd4.96×10−8
As2.66×10−67.77×10−73.44×10−64.65×10−69.54×10−75.61×10−6
Lake Swarzędzkie
Cd1.36×10−65.43×10−91.37×10−62.38×10−66.67×10−92.39×10−6
Cr2.14×10−63.42×10−72.48×10−63.75×10−64.20×10−74.17×10−6
Ni5.80×10−65.78×10−76.38×10−61.01×10−57.10×10−71.09×10−5
Pb7.96×10−8nd7.96×10−81.39×10−7nd1.39×10−7
As1.32×10−63.86×10−71.71×10−62.31×10−64.74×10−72.79×10−6
Lake Szczutowskie
Cd1.72×10−66.86×10−91.73×10−63.01×10−68.42×10−93.02×10−6
Cr2.79×10−64.45×10−73.23×10−64.88×10−65.46×10−75.42×10−6
Ni8.24×10−68.22×10−79.07×10−61.44×10−51.01×10−61.54×10−5
Pb1.47×10−7nd1.47×10−72.58×10−7nd2.58×10−7
As8.29×10−62.42×10−61.07×10−51.45×10−52.97×10−61.75×10−5
Wisła-Czarne Reservoir
Cd2.47×10−69.86×10−92.48×10−64.32×10−61.21×10−84.34×10−6
Cr5.90×10−69.42×10−76.84×10−61.03×10−51.16×10−61.15×10−5
Ni2.12×10−52.12×10−62.33×10−53.71×10−52.60×10−63.98×10−5
Pb6.56×10−8nd6.56×10−81.15×10−7nd1.15×10−7
As3.77×10−61.10×10−64.87×10−66.60×10−61.35×10−67.95×10−6

Average daily exposure doses of metals in bottom sediments

Metal(loid)sAdultsChildren
ADDingADDdermalADDsADDingADDdermalADDs
Lake Gardno
Cd1.47×10−85.86×10−111.47×10−82.57×10−87.19×10−112.58×10−8
Cr3.36×10−61.34×10−83.38×10−65.89×10−61.65×10−85.90×10−6
Cu6.48×10−62.59×10−86.51×10−65.67×10−51.59×10−75.69×10−5
Ni2.34×10−69.32×10−92.35×10−64.09×10−61.14×10−84.10×10−6
Pb3.33×10−61.33×10−83.35×10−65.84×10−61.63×10−85.85×10−6
Zn3.48×10−51.39×10−73.49×10−53.04×10−48.52×10−73.05×10−4
As1.77×10−62.12×10−71.99×10−63.10×10−62.61×10−73.36×10−6
Lake Swarzędzkie
Cd2.23×10−78.90×10−102.24×10−73.90×10−71.09×10−93.92×10−7
Cr4.29×10−61.71×10−84.30×10−67.50×10−62.10×10−87.52×10−6
Cu5.89×10−52.35×10−75.92×10−55.16×10−41.44×10−65.17×10−4
Ni3.41×10−61.36×10−83.42×10−65.97×10−61.67×10−85.99×10−6
Pb9.37×10−63.74×10−89.41×10−61.64×10−54.59×10−81.64×10−5
Zn1.27×10−45.06×10−71.27×10−41.11×10−33.11×10−61.11×10−3
As8.81×10−71.05×10−79.86×10−71.54×10−61.29×10−71.67×10−6
Lake Szczutowskie
Cd2.82×10−71.12×10−92.83×10−74.93×10−71.38×10−94.95×10−7
Cr5.57×10−62.22×10−85.59×10−69.75×10−62.73×10−89.78×10−6
Cu1.62×10−56.45×10−81.62×10−51.41×10−43.96×10−71.42×10−4
Ni4.85×10−61.93×10−84.87×10−68.49×10−62.38×10−88.51×10−6
Pb1.73×10−56.91×10−81.74×10−53.03×10−58.49×10−83.04×10−5
Zn9.77×10−53.90×10−79.81×10−58.55×10−42.39×10−68.58×10−4
As5.52×10−66.61×10−76.19×10−69.67×10−68.12×10−71.05×10−5
Wisła-Czarne Reservoir
Cd4.05×10−71.62×10−94.07×10−77.09×10−71.98×10−97.11×10−7
Cr1.18×10−54.71×10−81.18×10−52.07×10−55.78×10−82.07×10−5
Cu3.92×10−51.56×10−73.93×10−53.43×10−49.60×10−73.44×10−4
Ni1.25×10−54.98×10−81.25×10−52.19×10−56.12×10−82.19×10−5
Pb7.71×10−63.08×10−87.75×10−61.35×10−53.78×10−81.35×10−5
Zn2.70×10−41.08×10−62.71×10−42.36×10−36.61×10−62.37×10−3
As2.51×10−63.01×10−72.81×10−64.40×10−63.69×10−74.77×10−6

Methodology for estimation of average daily dose

CALCULATION OF AVERAGE DAILY DOSE FOR METAL(LOID)S VIA INGESTION AND DERMAL CONTACT (mg·kg−1·day−1)
Average daily dose for ingestion (ADDing) [14] ADDing=C×IRing×EF×EDBW×AT×CF {ADD_{ing}} = \frac{{C \times I{R_{ing}} \times EF \times ED}}{{BW \times AT}} \times CF
Average daily dose for dermal contact (ADDdermal) [14] ADDdermal=C×SA×AF×ABS×EF×EDBW×AT×CF {ADD_{dermal}} = \frac{{C \times SA \times AF \times ABS \times EF \times ED}}{{BW \times AT}} \times CF
C – element concentration in the sediment sample; IRing – ingestion rate; EF – exposure frequency; ED – exposure duration; AF – adherence factor; ABS – dermal absorption factor; SA – surface area; BW – body weight; AT – averaging time; CF – conversion factor
THE PARAMETERS APPLIED TO THE ESTIMATION OF ADDS
ParameterUnitParameter value Adults/ChildrenReferences
Cmg·kg−1-This study
IRingmg·day−1100 / 200[16]
EFday·year−1350
EDyear30 / 6
AF(soil)mg·cm−20.07 / 0.2
ABS-0.001
SAcm25700 / 2800
BWkg70 / 16[14]
ATdays70×365 / carcinogens ED×365 / non-carcinogens
CFkg·mg−110−6

Ecological risk indices

IndexFormulaScaleDescription
Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo) [12] Igeo=log2cn1.5Bn {I_{geo}} = lo{g_2}\left( {\frac{{{c_n}}}{{1.5{{\rm{B}}_n}}}} \right)

  • Cn – concentration of element in the sediment sample (mg·kg−1),

  • Bn – geochemical background value in the Earth’s crust (Cd=0.1; Cr=100; Cu=55; Ni= 20; Pb=15; Zn=70; As=1.8 mg·kg−1) [44]

Igeo ≤ 0Practically uncontaminated
0<Igeo ≤ 1Uncontaminated to moderately contam.
1<Igeo ≤ 2Moderately contaminated
2<Igeo ≤ 3Moderately to Heavily contam.
3<Igeo ≤ 4Heavily contaminated
4<Igeo ≤ 5Heavily to Extremely contaminated
Igeo >5Extremely contaminated
Potential Ecological Risk Factor (ER) [13] ER=Tfi⋅CF ER = T_f^i \cdot CF

  • T – toxic response factor of element (Cd=30; Cr=2; Cu, Ni, Pb=5; Zn=1; As=10);

  • CF – Contamination Factor; the ratio between the concentration of the element in sediment and the background value [13, 44]

ER≤40Low risk
40<ER≤80Moderate risk
80<ER≤160Considerable risk
160<ER≤320High risk
ER>320Very high risk
Risk Index (RI) [13]RI= ∑ERiRI<150Low risk
150<RI<300Moderate risk
300<RI<600Considerable risk
RI>600High risk

Results of the ecological risk assessment

Metal(loid)sLake GardnoLake SwarzędzkieLake SzczutowskieWisła-Czarne Reservoir
Igeo
Cd−2.61.31.72.2
Cr−4.7−4.4−4.0−2.9
Cu−4.1−0.9−2.8−1.5
Ni−2.9−2.4−1.9−0.5
Pb−2.0−0.50.4−0.8
Zn−2.0−0.2−0.60.9
As0.2−0.81.80.7
ER
Cd7.5114.0144.0207.0
Cr0.10.10.20.4
Cu0.43.91.12.6
Ni1.01.52.15.3
Pb1.95.39.84.4
Zn0.41.31.02.8
As16.88.352.323.8
RI
Metal(loid)s28.1134.5210.5246.3

Methodology for health risk assessment

NON-CARCINOGENIC RISK ASSESSMENT
Hazard Quotient (HQ) [14, 15] HQij=ADDijRfDij H{Q_{ij}} = \frac{{AD{D_{ij}}}}{{Rf{D_{ij}}}}
Hazard Index (HI) [14, 15]HI=∑HQij
RfD –reference dose of individual element If the HQ or HI value > 1 – non-carcinogenic risk is possible; if the HQ or HI value < 1 – non-carcinogenic risk is not possible [14, 15]
CARCINOGENIC RISK ASSESSMENT
Carcinogenic Risk (CR) [14, 15]CRij = ADDij × SF TCR = ∑CRij
Total Carcinogenic Risk (TCR) [14, 15]
SF – cancer slope factor If the CR or TCR values > 1×10−4 – the carcinogenic risk occurs; if the values are between 1×10−6 and 1×10−4 – the carcinogenic risk is acceptable; if the values are < 1×10−6 – the risk is not carcinogenic [14, 15]
THE RFD AND SF VALUES OF ELEMENTS
ElementRfDingRfDdermalSFingSFdermalReferences
mg·kg−1·day−1kg·day·mg−1
Cd--6.106.10[45,46,47]
Cr--5.00×10−120.0
Cu4.00×10−21.20×10−2--
Ni--1.7042.50
Pb--8.50×10−3nd
Zn3.00×10−16.00×10−2--
As--1.53.66

Results of non-carcinogenic risk assessment

NON-CARCINOGENIC RISK
MetalAdultsChildren
HQingHQdermalHIHQingHQdermalHI
Lake Gardno
Cu1.62×10−42.15×10−61.64×10−41.42×10−31.32×10−51.43×10−3
Zn1.16×10−42.31×10−61.18×10−41.01×10−31.42×10−51.03×10−3
Lake Swarzędzkie
Cu1.47×10−31.96×10−51.49×10−31.29×10−21.20×10−41.30×10−2
Zn4.23×10−48.43×10−64.31×10−43.70×10−35.18×10−53.75×10−3
Lake Szczutowskie
Cu4.04×10−45.37×10−64.09×10−43.54×10−33.30×10−53.57×10−3
Zn3.26×10−46.50×10−63.32×10−42.85×10−33.99×10−52.89×10−3
Wisła-Czarne Reservoir
Cu9.79×10−41.30×10−59.92×10−48.57×10−38.00×10−58.65×10−3
Zn9.00×10−41.79×10−59.18×10−47.87×10−31.10×10−47.98×10−3

Characteristics of water reservoirs [25, 31, 35,36,37]

DataLake GardnoLake SwarzędzkieLake SzczutowskieWisła-Czarne Reservoir
Type of reservoirpolygenetic (coastal)post-glacialglacialdam reservoir (built-in years 1967 – 1973)
Surface area (km2)24.70.940.910.40
Length - max (m)685029402110-
Width - max (m)4730560690-
Depth - max (m)2.67.24.4-
Volume (thousand m3)30950.5200016895060
Feeder watersŁupawa, Bagienica Brodna, and Grabownica RiversCybina River and Mielcuch stream5 drainage ditches; unnamed watercoursesBiała and Czarna Wisełka streams
Functionstourism and recreationtourism and recreationtourism and recreationwater supply, flood control, tourism, and recreation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acee-2025-0014 | Journal eISSN: 2720-6947 | Journal ISSN: 1899-0142
Journal RSS Feed
Language: English
Page range: 185 - 200
Submitted on: Jul 22, 2024
|
Accepted on: Jan 9, 2025
|
Published on: May 10, 2025
Published by: Silesian University of Technology
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year
Keywords:
Bottom sediments,
Water reservoirs,
Metal(loid)s,
Ecological Risk Assessment,
Health Risk Assessment
Related subjects:
Architecture and design,
Architecture,
Architects, buildings

© 2025 Malwina Tytła, Alina Pohl, Joanna Kernert, published by Silesian University of Technology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Previous articleVolume 18 (2025): Issue 1 (March 2025)