Abstract Sihui city (South China) is much affected by nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). To investigate the relationships between the toxic metals in soil and NPC incidence in Sihui, 119 surface soil samples were collected from agricultural fields and analyzed. The soil As–Cr contents in Longjiang (high-incidence area) are significantly lower than those in Weizheng and Jianglin (low-incidence areas), whereas the soil Pb content in Longjiang is significantly higher than that in Weizheng. The Nemerow pollution indices (PIN) of soils decrease in the order of Jianglin > Weizheng > Longjiang. The enrichment factor (EF) of Cd indicates that the Cd enrichment is contributed by human activities. Potential toxic metal-related ecological risk values decrease in the order of Jianglin > Weizheng > Longjiang. The mean hazard index (HI) value of Longjiang was lower than those of Weizheng and Jianglin. There are no adverse noncarcinogenic health effects of soil toxic metals to adults in the study areas. Carcinogenic risks of As and Cr via ingestion and dermal contact and total carcinogenic risk are within the warning range, from 10−6 to 10−4. Hence, we suggest that toxic metals in the soil may not be major geochemical carcinogenic factors of high NPC incidence in Sihui.

中文翻译：

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华南地区鼻咽癌流行区农田土壤有毒金属的空间分布及风险评估

摘要 四会市（华南）受鼻咽癌（NPC）影响较大。为了研究四会市土壤中有毒金属与鼻咽癌发病率之间的关系，从农田采集了119份表土样品并进行了分析。龙江（高发区）土壤As-Cr含量显着低于卫征和江林（低发区），而龙江土壤Pb含量显着高于卫征。土壤内梅罗污染指数（PIN）递减顺序为江林>魏征>龙江。Cd 的富集因子（EF）表明 Cd 的富集是由人类活动贡献的。潜在有毒金属相关生态风险值依次为江林>卫政>龙江。龙江的平均危害指数（HI）值低于魏征和江林。研究区土壤有毒金属对成年人没有不利的非致癌健康影响。As 和 Cr 通过摄入和皮肤接触的致癌风险和总致癌风险在警戒范围内，从 10-6 到 10-4。因此，我们认为土壤中的有毒金属可能不是四会地区鼻咽癌高发的主要地球化学致癌因素。