Human Risk Assessment Based on the Content of Inorganic and Organic Pollutants in Sarajevo’s Playgrounds

Soil is an important part of ecosystem actively involved in the natural cycle of substances, so it is necessary to investigate the content of pollutants and to establish preventive activities on this basis in order to reduce soil pollution, and thus preserving the flora and fauna, as well as human health. The main objective of this study was the human risk assessment based on the content of inorganic and organic polutants in the soil of children playgrounds. The contents of inorganic pollutants such as Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Co, Se and As, and organic pollutants such as naphtalene, fluoranthene and benzo(a)pyrene have been measured in Sarajevo’s playgrounds soil and the HQ and HI have been calculated. Risk characterization relevant for the present investigation comprises calculations of non-carcinogenic risk for ingestion and inhalation of soil. Our results suggest that children are at higher risks than the adults due to their contact with potentially polluted soil.