Health Risk Assessment Of Emissions Research Articles

Health risk assessment of emissions from brick kilns in Tando Hyder, Sindh, Pakistan using the AERMOD dispersion model

Pakistan has more than 18,000 brick kilns and produced about 45 billion bricks every year. Brick making in Pakistan is a traditional small-scale and unmanaged industry. Coal is a major source of fuel for brick kilns. In Pakistan, urbanization, in terms of building construction has increased by 10% per year from 2015 to 2020. That growth has increased demand of building construction stock by 80% which causes an increased production of building materials and bricks. This increase in demand for bricks will increase the consumption of coal used in brick manufacturing. Therefore, there is an urgent need to assess the health risk to people living near brick kilns. This study assesses the health risk due to the emission of air pollutants from brick kilns. Two non-carcinogenic pollutants (i.e., SO2 and Hg) and three carcinogenic pollutants (i.e., As, Cd and Cr) were selected for this health risk assessment. Both short-term and long-term health impacts were assessed. The AERMOD air dispersion model was used for predicting ground-level concentrations within a 10 km radius of the brick kilns. Non-carcinogenic health risk assessments indicate adverse health impacts from short-term concentrations, while long-term concentrations are within acceptable limits. Carcinogenic health risks also indicate adverse health effects from short-term concentration, while only As and Cr cause adverse health impacts from long-term concentration and exposure. The findings of this study show that a detailed assessment of the health effects caused by emissions from all of the brick kilns and ambient air concentration with meteorological conditions should be carried out.

Health risk assessment of emissions from a coal-fired power plant using AERMOD modelling

Current electricity generation mix in Malaysia consists of 58% gas, 33% coal and 9% hydro. It is anticipated that by year 2019, the generation mix will be at 64% coal, 32% gas and 4% hydro. Due to the increase in coal consumption for power generation, there is a critical need to evaluate the health risks for the population living in the vicinity of a coal-fired power plant in Malaysia. To date, such study related to the plant in Malaysia has never been published. In this study, health risk assessment (HRA) for air emission from a coal-fired power plant in Malaysia was carried out. Two pollutants from the Proposed New Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulation 201X (Draft) (i.e. SO2 and Hg) were assessed for non-carcinogenic health risk, and two trace elements (i.e. As and Cr) were assessed for carcinogenic health risk. Both short-term and long-term health effects were evaluated. Air dispersion modelling (AERMOD) was used to predict the ground level concentration (GLC) within 10km radius of the emission source. Based on the HRA, different health risks were identified for short-term and long-term dispersion of the studied pollutants. The findings indicate that a detailed assessment on the short-term and long-term health effects of the emissions from coal-fired power plant in Malaysia with meteorological factor as one of the significant factors influencing the emissions level is needed.

Health risk assessment of emissions of dioxins and furans from a municipal waste incinerator: comparison with other emission sources

The aim of this study was to calculate the incremental lifetime-risk to dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) for the population living in the surroundings of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI), as well as to establish the potential reduction on human health risks as a consequence of the adaptation to the EU legislation on pollutant emissions from the MSWI stack. Analytical and modelled results were obtained. PCDD/F concentrations in environmental media were determined by means of a simple-compartment-multimedia model (air–soil–vegetation model). Predicted and measured PCDD/F concentrations in soils and vegetation were compared, and the effects of MSWI emissions in the environmental media were determined. Human health risks due to PCDD/F emissions from the MSWI were also estimated based on I-TEQ measured and modelled in various environmental media. Cancer risks due to PCDD/F emissions of the plant were 1.07E−07 and 3.08E−09, before and after installation of the clean air system, respectively. On the other hand, cancer risks due to other PCDD/F emission sources in the area were 5.54E−06 and 1.86E−06. Total PCDD/F cancer risks (including those from diet) for the population living in the vicinity of the MSWI were 1.3E−04 and 4.25E−05, respectively (67.6% of reduction). Hazard ratio for total PCDD/F exposure (including diet) decreased during the last 5 years from 1.16 to 0.38. The above data show that other emission sources of PCDD/Fs also have a notable environmental impact on the area under direct influence of the MSWI.