Bioaccessible arsenic in soil of thermal areas of Viterbo, Central Italy: implications for human health risk

• DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-00914-1
• Publication Date: 2021-04-21T04:04:25Z
• Authors: V. Rimondi; P. Costagliola; P. Lattanzi; T. Catelani; S. Fornasaro; D. Medas; G. Morelli; M. Paolieri
• Keywords: Original Paper; arsenic, bioaccessibility, calcite, geogenic, soil ingestions, thermal springs; Biological Availability; Risk Assessment; 01 natural sciences; 6. Clean water; Arsenic; 3. Good health; Soil; 13. Climate action; Humans; Soil Pollutants; Arsenic; Bioaccessibility; Calcite; Geogenic; Soil ingestions; Thermal springs; Cities; arsenic; bioaccessibility; calcite; geogenic; soil ingestions; thermal springs; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Thermal waters near the city of Viterbo (Central Italy) are known to show high As contents (up 600 µg/l). Travertine is precipitated by these waters, forming extended plateau. In this study, we determine content, speciation and bioaccessibility in soil travertine samples collected a recreational area highly frequented local inhabitants tourists investigate risk exposure through accidental ingestion particles. (Pseudo)total studied soils range from 17 528 mg/kg, being higher developed on substrate (197 ± 127 mg/kg) than volcanic rocks (37 13 mg/kg). travertines, most bound carbonatic fraction, whereas semimetal mostly associated with oxide residual fractions. Accordingly, (defined here simplified extraction test, SBET; Oomen et al., 2002.) maximum 139 for substrate, indicating control calcite dissolution bioaccessibility. On other hand, analysis suggests moderate carcinogenic ingestion, while dermal contact negligible. By contrast, thermal water implies systemic health risk.