Assessing and Understanding Arsenic Contamination in Agricultural Soils and Lake Sediments from Papallacta Rural Parish, Northeastern Ecuador, via Ecotoxicology Factors, for Environmental Embasement

The concentration of arsenic (As), considered a toxic and carcinogenic metalloid, in agricultural soils has become global challenge. Sources can be both anthropogenic natural. Contaminated water is used for the irrigation crops vegetables, therefore it main pathway to enter human food chain, creating potential health risk. This study evaluated concentrations rural parish Papallacta, located 67 km east city Quito, Northeastern Ecuador, constitutes an analysis problem soils. Shallow groundwater geothermal discharges laced with are frequently have raised level work focused on evaluating environmental quality contamination through indices such as geo-accumulation index, enrichment, factor. average levels four studied areas fluctuate between 20.4 43.0 mg kg−1, while sediments Papallacta Lake, higher values were found range 16.8 102.4 kg−1; all which exceed permissible limit by Ecuadorian Environmental Legislation use (12 kg−1). results five sites civil indicate low moderate enriched bedrock, considerable contamination.