| Title: | Integrating source apportionment, health risk assessment, and biomonitoring of PTEs in household vacuum dust from a mining and industrial hot spot |
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| Authors: | ID Čeru, Teja (Author)
ID Ivartnik, Matej (Author)
ID Hudopisk, Neda (Author)
ID Bavec, Špela (Author) |
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| Files: |  PDF - Presentation file, download (4,31 MB)
MD5: F7CC3797E1920E49B13F3909DB988681
 URL - Supplement, visit https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651326007256?via%3Dihub#ec0005
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| Language: | English |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: |  GeoZS - Geological Survey of Slovenia
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| Abstract: | Indoor dust is an important exposure pathway for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in industrial hotspots such as the Meža Valley (Slovenia), impacted by centuries of Pb–Zn mining/smelting and ongoing metallurgical activities. This study is the first to examine household dust from homes of children participating in biomonitoring, providing a unique opportunity to directly assess the relationship between indoor contamination and biomonitoring outcomes. Household vacuum dust from 27 homes (Upper Meža Valley, n = 13; Lower Meža Valley, n = 14) was analysed for 12 metal(loid)s. Statistical analyses identified three dominant source-related groups: (1) Pb–Zn–Cd (legacy mining/smelting), (2) Cu–Sn (Pb recycling), and (3) Cr–Ni–Mo (steel production), indicating a mixed anthropogenic fingerprint across the valley. Health risk assessment of PTEs indicates that ingestion is the primary exposure pathway, with children facing 7–12 times higher non-carcinogenic risks than adults. Children’s blood lead levels (BLLs) were generally low (75th percentile = 31 µg L⁻¹), although 6 of 27 exceeded the CDC blood lead reference value of 35 µg L⁻¹. Lead concentrations in household dust significantly predicted BLL variability (adjusted R² ≈ 0.23), highlighting indoor dust as a relevant contributor to internal lead exposure. Cumulative cancer risks remained within acceptable regulatory limits under both worst-case (100% Cr(VI), 9.03 × 10⁻⁵) and more realistic (5% Cr(VI), 1.97 × 10⁻⁵) scenarios. Persistent indoor contamination following the 2023 flooding events, despite ongoing remediation efforts, underscores the need for area-wide mitigation strategies and continued environmental and health monitoring to limit PTE transfer into indoor environments. |
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| Keywords: | indoor dust, heavy metals, human exposure, source apportionment, blood lead levels (BLLs), Meža Valley |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Publication date: | 22.06.2026 |
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| Year of publishing: | 2026 |
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| Number of pages: | 13 str. |
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| Numbering: | vol. 321, [article no.] 120396 |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DiRROS-30397  |
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| UDC: | 504.5 |
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| ISSN on article: | 0147-6513 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120396 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 282547203 |
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| Note: |
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| Publication date in DiRROS: | 24.06.2026 |
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| Views: | 48 |
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| Downloads: | 42 |
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