Multifaceted Insight into Sensitivity Analysis and Environmental Impact on Human Health of Soil Contamination Risk...

Sensitivity analysis is a valuable method for evaluating the impact of model parameters on health risk characterization, thereby supporting the prediction of critical uncertainty factors. However, limitations arise in terms of cross-disciplinary discussions and in-depth analyses of previous research. To overcome these limitations, a systematic and multifaceted approach was introduced for analyzing the parameter sensitivities in soil contamination risk assessment. This approach specifically targeted the 12 main parameters associated with 65 soil contaminants for health risk assessment, employing detailed authoritative statistics for risk assessment. Screening analysis revealed that identified heavy metals and organics were influenced by key parameters, such as PM₁₀, body weight of adults (BW_a), daily air inhalation rate of adults (DAIR_a), air exchange rate (ER), and typical soil parameters. PM₁₀ showed a positive 100% correlation with inorganics and metals, but BW_a and DAIR_a exhibited different impacts on different chemicals, with an increase in potential risk observed with higher BW_a and lower DAIR_a. Furthermore, incorporating soil parameters in the analysis showed that compact soil could improve the protection against vapor organic compounds for human health. This refined study presents a comprehensive strategy for sensitivity analysis in health risk assessment of soil contamination, thereby offering substantial support for the protection and preservation of human health. A logical framework also was provided for addressing the limitations of sensitivity analysis and facilitating an understanding of the complex relationships between model parameters and the health risk of soil contamination.