Assessing urban soil pollution in the cities of Zacatecas and Guadalupe, Mexico by instrumental neutron activation analysis

► Eight urban soil and two mine tailing samples were analyzed by INAA and 33 elements were determined. ► Concentrations of As, Ba, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Zn are higher than the heavily polluted EPA guideline values. ► Concentrations for Ba, Cr, Ni, and Ta, are lower than México Guideline values, but As and V are higher. ► The differences in the elemental concentrations between guidelines of US EPA and México are large. ► Urban soils are polluted with As, Ba, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Zn in all the eight urban soil samples.