Efeito da deposição de metais potencialmente tóxicos na saúde humana e nas comunidades bacterianas de amostras de solo próximas a plantas cimenteiras na região de Arcos e Pains – MG.

The aim of this study was to verify the deposition of heavy metals in soils close to cement plants, in addition to verifying their influence on human health and on the interactions of microbial communities present in the soil, thus analyzing its quality. Twenty-two collection points were delineated for soil samples from a karst region in the west of Minas Gerais, which is part of the so-called “Bambuí group”. The proximity of cement plants were sampled, representing impacted environments, and two distant areas from these, depicting non-impacted environments. To analyze the quantification of TMPs and ecosystem services that occur in the soil of the region by bacterial communities, approximately 2 kg of soil were collected at each point, with a depth between 10 and 20 centimeters, stored in sterilized plastic bags, which were sent to the Oceanus-Hidroquímica laboratory, REG.INEA:UN015590/55.11.10. Separately, in each location, the other indices for analysis of contamination and soil quality were also analyzed, such as Igeo and EF; in addition, internationally adopted human health risk indices were also used. The results obtained showed that only the analysis of the quantification of TMPs, according to current legislation, should not be taken into account, and it is necessary to also address other indices of analysis of contamination and health risks, thus providing a detailed investigation and higher quality, as it was shown that, even with contamination rates considered non-existent or moderate, there are risks to the health of the population. In the analysis of microbial communities, both the taxonomic structure and the functional structure of the communities surrounding the cement plants were dissimilar to those found in control areas that represented agricultural production environments free from contamination by TMPs. It is considered that the results significantly contribute to the general understanding of the effects of TMPs on the health of the population and on the soil ecosystem by showing that even contamination considered mild by the contamination rates can cause risks to human health and disturb the dynamics of the ecosystem services provided through the ground.