Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals from the Agricultural Soil in South Herzegovina
Contamination of agricultural soils can present a signifi cant risk to human health through oral ingestion, particle inhalation, and dermal contact. Th e aims of this research were to determinate the concentrations, distribution and human health risk of various heavy metals in soil samples from three agricultural areas of South Herzegovina. A total number of 32 soil samples were collected and analyzed for Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn). Th e Hazard Index (HI) was used to assess the human health risk of the study area. For the adult and children population, the HI value for dermal exposure to Cobalt (Co) was greater than one (HI>1), and non-cancerogenic eff ects are therefore considered as signifi cant for human health. Our fi ndings impose consideration of taking risk management measures in order to reduce risk for human health from Cobalt (Co).