Human risk assessment of multiple contaminants in the subsurface

Abstract

In order to evaluate the human risks of multiple chemicals through multiple exposure routes, it was assumed that humans are exposed to all the pollutants listed in the Korean Soil Environment Preservation Act (KSEPA) through multiple exposure routes. The combined carcinogenic risk and hazard index were 8.07E-05 and 4.04, respectively, so there might be concern for potential adverse health effects if no remediation were to occur since both of these values exceeded the target values. Comparing health risks by the exposure routes and chemicals, the main portion was contributed from dermal contact with soil and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), respectively. The carcinogenic risks of arsenic and PCBs were so high that it is necessary to reconsider the regulatory concentration levels in KSEPA. It appeared that the hazard index of hydrophilic phenol and volatile benzene was relatively high in the groundwater and air, respectively. In the case of BTEX compounds, it might be not reasonable to use the concentration of BTEX mixture as the current warning level because of their different toxicities and properties.