Anthropogenic activities performed in the Ecuadorian Amazon have released potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the rivers, causing severe environmental pollution and increasing the risk of exposure to the residents of the surrounding areas. This study aims to carry out a human health risk assessment using deterministic and probabilistic methods to estimate the hazard index (HI) and total cancer risk (TCR) related to multi-pathway human exposure to PTEs in polluted rivers. Concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in surface water and sediment samples from rivers on the Ecuadorian Amazon were considered to assess the potential adverse human health effects. As a result, deterministic and probabilistic estimations of cancer and non-cancer risk through exposure to surface waters and sediments were above the safety limit. A sensitivity analysis identified the concentration of PTEs and the exposure duration (ED) as the two most important variables for probabilistic health risk assessment. The highest risk for receptors was related to exposure to polluted sediments through incidental ingestion and dermal contact routes. According to the deterministic estimation, the human health risk through ingestion of water was above the threshold in specific locations. This study reveals the potential health risk to which the population is exposed. This information can be used as a baseline to develop public strategies to reduce anthropogenic pollution and exposure to PTEs in Ecuadorian Amazon rivers.

中文翻译：

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厄瓜多尔亚马逊河污染河流中潜在的有毒元素暴露的人类健康风险评估

在厄瓜多尔亚马逊河进行的人为活动已将潜在的有毒元素（PTE）释放到河流中，造成了严重的环境污染，并增加了接触周围地区居民的风险。这项研究旨在使用确定性和概率方法进行人类健康风险评估，以估计与多径人类接触污染河流中的PTE相关的危害指数（HI）和总癌症风险（TCR）。厄瓜多尔亚马逊河中河流的地表水和沉积物样品中的Al，Cd，Cr，Cu，Hg，Ni，Pb和Zn的浓度被认为可评估对人类健康的潜在不利影响。结果，通过暴露于地表水和沉积物而得出的癌症和非癌症风险的确定性和概率估计超出了安全限制。敏感性分析确定了PTE的浓度和暴露持续时间（ED）是概率健康风险评估的两个最重要的变量。受体的最高风险与通过偶然摄入和皮肤接触途径暴露于受污染的沉积物有关。根据确定性估计，在特定位置通过摄入水对人体健康的风险高于阈值。这项研究揭示了人口面临的潜在健康风险。此信息可以用作制定公共策略以减少人为污染和厄瓜多尔亚马逊河中PTE暴露量的基准。受体的最高风险与通过偶然摄入和皮肤接触途径暴露于受污染的沉积物有关。根据确定性估计，在特定位置通过摄入水对人体健康的风险高于阈值。这项研究揭示了人口面临的潜在健康风险。此信息可以用作制定公共策略以减少人为污染和厄瓜多尔亚马逊河中PTE暴露量的基准。受体的最高风险与通过偶然摄入和皮肤接触途径暴露于受污染的沉积物有关。根据确定性估计，在特定位置通过摄入水对人体健康的风险高于阈值。这项研究揭示了人口面临的潜在健康风险。此信息可以用作制定公共策略以减少人为污染和厄瓜多尔亚马逊河中PTE暴露量的基准。