## 3 Results and Discussions
### XRF Soil Analysis
The average value was comparable with the other data reported in the literature, as presented in Table 5, except for the urban study by [55], where As had a concentration of 11.44 mg kg\({}^{-1}\), and 11.1 mg kg\({}^{-1}\) at the Galati industrial site [34]. In dermal contact, As can cause skin diseases, and high concentrations can lead to different types of cancer. It can be found in alloys and electronic components, as well in fertilizers, pesticide, herbicides or fireproof wood products [21; 29; 62]. Lead (Pb) presented for PSs a minimum concentration of 16 mg kg\({}^{-1}\) and a maximum of 72 mg kg\({}^{-1}\) and for the ESs, the value for the minimum concentration was 21 mg kg\({}^{-1}\) and for the maximum 108 mg kg\({}^{-1}\). The maximum values correspond to locations 6 (PS) and 1 (ES). The average values of Pb exceed the NV [52] and the European value and only the location ES is higher than the world value, as can be observed in Figure A5, Appendix A. Compared to the values found in Galati for Pb in this study, lower values were reported in other papers, with a difference of 25.53 and 7.05 mg kg\({}^{-1}\)[33; 34]. As a conclusion, in locations closer to traffic, the concentrations of Pb are higher than in those inside the park. In the last 300 years, lead concentrations have increased over 1000 times, especially in the time interval 1950-2000, mainly due to lead fuels [30]. In the past, the main source of lead has been its use as an anti-detonating agent in fuels. At the end of 1998, with Directive 98/70/EC, the European Union prohibited the use of leaded petrol [61]. In Romania, lead gasoline was forbidden in 2005. Today, the maximum admitted Pb concentration in gasoline is 0.005 g L\({}^{-1}\). But the high concentrations found in soil reflect the long use of Pb as an additive in gasoline [29]. High levels of Pb in blood, especially in children smaller than 7 years, are associated with negative effects on intelligence and behavior. The most important sources of lead are the following: lead-based paint, gasoline, soil/dust, industry, food and water [27; 63; 64]. It is a well-known fact that high concentrations of Pb in soil can produce a disaster, such as in Zamfara state where over 400 children were reported dead in 2010 due to illegal gold mining [65]. In the USA, some studies revealed that lead affects the health of children under 7 years from different sources such as lead-based paint (houses build before 1979, 12 million children), old water pipes (before 1970), petrol (5.6 million of children) and dust-soil (5.9-11.7 million of children). In Romania, a study from the WHO observed that between the years 1999-2000, the geometric mean of lead in blood in children aged 1 to 9 was over 10 ug dL\({}^{-1}\). But, in 1980, the level of lead in blood was found to be between 18.2 and 18.9 ug dL\({}^{-1}\) in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, compared to Germany, which had 7.4 ug dL\({}^{-1}\). This concentration is associated with toxicity that involves a lower intelligence quotient (IQ), usually being reduced by 1-3 points. In addition, concentrations of 5.0 ug dL\({}^{-1}\) may affect the neurobehavioral performance of children. Children are more exposed to lead toxicity due to their intake of lead per unit of body, and young children often place dirty hands or toys in their mouths and inhale dust from places where they are playing [63; 66]. Mercury (Hg), a potential toxic element classified as a heavy metal, has an atomic weight of 200.59, an atomic number of 80, and a density of 13.534 g/cm\({}^{3}\). Hg is typically categorized into three chemical species: elemental mercury (Hg\({}^{0}\)), inorganic mercury, primarily in the form of mercuric chloride (HgCl\({}_{2}\)), and organic mercury, primarily methylmercury (MeHg), with a toxicity greater than that of other organic Hg compounds [67; 68]. It is a naturally occurring element, commonly found in the environment as a result of degassing in the earth's crust, releasing nearly 10,000 tons annually.