Human health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in soils from intensive agricultural fields in Northwestern México

High levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in agricultural soils pose significant ecological and human health risks, particularly in arid regions where dust exposure is frequent. This study aims to quantify the spatial distribution, enrichment patterns, and ecological and health risks of five PTEs (As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn) in agricultural soils from the Hermosillo Coast, Mexico, a region with intensive agrochemical use and vulnerable migrant communities, and where the Green Revolution began in the 1940s. We evaluated historical pollution in 50 soil samples (< 20 μm) from 10 fields using Igeo, EF, HQ, and CR indices. Arsenic, Pb, and Zn exceeded background, with As reaching up to 32 mg/kg and Cr up to 132 mg/kg. Hotspots occurred near rural communities (sites 4 and 9). Igeo and EF showed strong anthropogenic enrichment of As (EF up to 32), while Cr displayed minimal enrichment. Non-carcinogenic risk remained below the safety threshold (HI < 1) for both adults and children, although As ingestion in children reached 50% of the allowable limit. Carcinogenic risk exceeded recommended thresholds, with Cr showing TCR up to 1.18 × 10− 3 in children (100% above acceptable limits) and As reaching 8.98 × 10− 5. The spatial clustering of high As and Cr risks near populated agricultural settlements highlights a critical need for targeted management, including soil monitoring, agrochemical regulation, and community-level interventions to reduce dust exposure. These results provide an evidence-based framework for designing human health risk mitigation strategies in arid agricultural regions.