Heavy metal(loids) (HMs), which can be carcinogenic, cytotoxic, and mutagenic, can pose a threat to fauna, flora, and humans. In the mining industry, large amounts of HMs released uncontrolled as a result of activities such as extraction, grinding, clustering of mineral ores, and dumping of wastes in open areas. Perlite is a naturally occurring glassy volcanic alumina silicate rock that is mined and used all over the world. Perlite is utilized in the construction, agriculture, food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. This study focuses, for the first time, on the determination of HM contents of perlites produced as a result of mining in Türkiye and the assessment of potential health risks (PHRs) arising from HMs for quarry workers. The concentrations of HMs in 126 perlites samples collected from 12 quarries located in different geographical regions of Türkiye were analyzed by an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectroscopy. The hazard index (HI) and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) index were estimated to assess non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic PHR for workers via three exposure pathways. The average concentrations of HMs analyzed in perlites samples were 4.2 (As), 4.3 (Cu), 7.0 (Co), 7.1 (V), 19.8 (Ni), 26.4 (Pb), 31.1 (Zn), 64.9 (Cr), 93.7 (Zr), 383.5 (Mn), 528.3 (Ti) and 6585.4 (Fe) mg kg −1 dw, which were below the upper continental crust average, exception for Pb. All HI and TCR values revealed that the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic PHRs for adult quarry workers exposed to all HMs in the studied perlites were in the acceptable range.
Turhan et al. (Tue,) studied this question.