Site-specific health risk assessment of dioxins and furans in an industrial region with numerous emission sources
Resource
Journal of Hazardous Materials 145 (3): 471-481
Journal
Journal of Hazardous Materials
Journal Volume
145
Journal Issue
3
Pages
471-481
Date Issued
2007
Author(s)
Abstract
While the sources of releasing dioxins have received much attention, the health risks of incinerators are studied considerably more than those of other sources, such as metallurgical industry. Furthermore, risk assessments focus primarily on the effects of single sources; few have addressed the aggregate risks from multiple sources in a region. When many sources of dioxins exist in an area, such as the Industrial Park located in the densely populated district-Siaogang District in southern Taiwan where 17 primary known PCDD/F stationary emission sources are clustered, is the aggregate exposure to these sources imposing high risks even though individual sources comply with emission standards? The study combined the multimedia and multiple pathway exposure modeling and site-specific exposure scenario to assess dioxin risks contributed by the 17 emission sources in the District, including municipal waste incinerators, medical waste incinerators, sinter plants, electric arc furnace, secondary aluminum smelters, cement kilns, etc. The average cancer risk of a resident living in the District was found to be 3.43E-04 under the site-specific exposure scenario. The top emission source is the sinter plant, followed by the electric arc furnace. The information has driven the local government to conduct more complete assessment and at the same time to consider enforcing a stricter local standard of dioxin emissions in the Siaogang District. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Subjects
Electric furnace; Incinerators; Metallurgical industry; PCDD/F; Risk assessment; Sinter plant
Other Subjects
Electric furnaces; Health risks; Industrial emissions; Risk assessment; Waste incineration; Metallurgical industry; Sinter plant; Toxic materials; dioxin; furan derivative; Electric furnaces; Health risks; Industrial emissions; Risk assessment; Toxic materials; Waste incineration; cancer; dioxin; environmental assessment; furan; health risk; incineration; metallurgy; risk assessment; article; cancer risk; dangerous goods; environmental impact assessment; furnace; hazard assessment; health hazard; incineration; industrial area; metallurgy; smelter; Taiwan; Dioxins; Environmental Exposure; Furans; Humans; Incineration; Industrial Waste; Refuse Disposal; Risk Assessment; Taiwan; Asia; Eurasia; Far East; Siaogang; Taiwan
Type
journal article