Global Potential Risk of Thallium in Topsoil: A Cropland-Focused Quantification Framework

= 0.62) further predicted Tl concentration distributions, highlighting regional variations. This study reveals that high-risk areas are highly overlapped with anthropogenic factors (mining activities and land cover) and geological conditions (mineralized zones, lithology, and geological structures), collectively influencing 14.81% of the model outputs. By integrating cropland cover maps with our predictions, we found that approximately 9.9% of the world's cropland has a greater than 47% probability of Tl concentrations exceeding 1 mg/kg, particularly in South America (34.7%), Asia (12.3%), and Africa (10.8%). These findings underscore the need for heightened attention to soil Tl testing in high-risk croplands to ensure agricultural safety.