Investigation of heavy metal pollution in soils of Fereydunshahr city, Isfahan province

Soils are discontinuous cover at the surface that may be composed of rocks and sediments in situ or by material transport. Heavy metals are one of the most important soil pollutants that can have a major impact on the health of living things and, above all, humans. Heavy metals, which enter the human body, can accumulate in the tissues and affect the nervous system and circulation. These metals also impair the normal functioning of the internal organs or may be auxiliary to other diseases. Elements such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, zinc, selenium and the like are elements that are highly resident in the soil and have low mobility, so they may remain in the soil for many years. Such contaminants in the soil are caused by the addition of sludge, phosphate fertilizers, atmospheric sinks, color wastes and smoke from natural fuels, coal and other sources. Numerous studies have been carried out on the distribution of heavy metals in various soils such as urban, industrial, etc. Considering the importance of heavy metal contamination in soil and its effect on the health of living organisms, especially humans, this study was conducted to evaluate the concentration and contamination of heavy metals in soils north of Fereydoon Shahr (Isfahan province) using environmental indices; Geoaccumulation index, pollution load index, enrichment factor and pollution index were performed. The spatial distribution of heavy metal concentrations in the study area is also investigated.