Occurrence and Human Health Risk Assessment of Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) in the Soil of Malayer, Iran

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are the most widely used plasticizers around the world, to which human is increasingly exposed. This study, for the first time in Iran, investigated 4 PAEs (DEHP, DBP, DINP and DIDP) in the surface soil of different uses in Malayer. 34 soil samples were collected from 6 uses and 3 soil quality parameters were measured. The results showed the average concentration of PAEs in soil samples as DEHP > DBP > DIDP > DINP. DEHP and DBP at concentrations of 0.64–1792.81 and 0.06–1036.41 µg/kg were the frequent PAEs, and their highest concentrations were observed in industrial area, vineyards and irrigated agriculture. However, a significant correlation was observed between PAEs, indicating the existence of a common release source. According to the PCA test, DEHP was the most important PAE affecting soil quality by explaining 61.93% of the variance. The results of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment of PAEs showed a low risk and no significant health risk for local residents, respectively. Also, the average daily dose through ingestion and skin exposure was higher in children than in adults, and through inhalation in adults was higher than in children. The study aims to generate baseline data on the concentration of PAEs in Malayer County as the first study on Iranian soil. This information is essential for future environmental monitoring and risk assessment, providing a reference point for evaluating changes in contamination levels over time.