Pollution indices assessment of metal concentrations in Karabuk soil samples

Soil pollution refers to the contamination of soil by harmful substances that can have adverse effects on plant and animal life, it also negative affects the health-being of humans. The sources of soil pollution include industrial activities, agricultural practices, mining and transportation activities. The contaminants in soil can include heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, petroleum products, and other chemicals. These contaminants can seep into the soil and accumulate over time, making the soil unsuitable for agriculture or other uses. Heavy metals are a significant concern in soil pollution due to their persistency and potential harm for living organisms. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate metal contamination in soil using ecological risk indices to protect human health. This assessment can help identify potential risks and enable effective management of contaminated sites. This study aimed to assess of the metal pollution levels, including Arsenic (As), Cobalt (Co), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn), in soil samples from Karabuk using various ecological risk indices. These indices included the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), contamination degree (Cd), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk (PERI). Furthermore, statistical techniques such as correlation and factor analysis were employed to determine the underlying sources responsible for these metals. Based on the results of the Cd, PLI, and PERI, it was found that the soil at T7 exhibited a very high degree of contamination, was moderately to highly polluted, and posed a moderate ecological risk, respectively. The results of the pollution indices suggest that the sources of pollution in the Karabuk soil samples are anthropogenic, meaning they are a result of human activities like industrial processes and improper waste disposal.