A. Enrichment factor (EF) |
EF ranges |
Degree of enrichment |
<1 |
No enrichment |
1-3 |
Minor enrichment |
3-5 |
Moderate enrichment |
5-10 |
Moderately severe enrichment |
10-25 |
Severe enrichment |
25-50 |
Very severe enrichment |
50 |
Extremely severe enrichment |
B. Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) |
Igeo values |
Igeo Classes |
Pollution intensity |
0 |
<0 |
Unpolluted |
1 |
0-1 |
Unpolluted to moderately polluted |
2 |
1-Feb |
Moderately polluted |
3 |
2-Mar |
Moderately to strongly polluted |
4 |
3-Apr |
Strongly polluted |
5 |
4-May |
Strongly to very strongly polluted |
6 |
>5 |
Very strongly polluted |
C. Contamination factor (Cf) |
Value rangse of Cf
|
Description |
Cf< 1 |
Low contamination factor |
1≤ Cf < 3 |
Moderate contamination factor |
3 ≤ Cf < 6 |
Considerable contamination factor |
Cf ≥ 6 |
Very high contamination factor |
D. Potential risk index for individual metal (Er) |
≤ Value ranges of Er |
Description |
Er < 40 |
Low potential ecological risk |
40 ≤ Er < 80 |
Moderate potential ecological risk |
80 ≤ Er < 160 |
Considerable potential ecological risk |
160 ≤ Er < 320 |
High potential ecological risk |
Er ≥ 320 |
Very high potential ecological risk at hand for the substance in question |