Vicinity Of Municipal Waste Incinerator Research Articles

Exposure assessment of PCDD/Fs for the population living in the vicinity of municipal waste incinerator: Additional exposure via local vegetable consumption

While the exposure assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) for people living in the vicinity of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWI) has been investigated, indirect exposure to MSWI-emitted PCDD/Fs via consumption of local foods has not been well assessed. In this study, the PCDD/F concentration in the local vegetables grown near a MSWI located in Shenzhen, South China, was determined to be 0.92 ± 0.59 pg/g wet weight (ww), significantly higher than that (0.25 ± 0.35 pg/g ww) in commercial vegetables (p < 0.05). The PCDD/F concentrations in Banyan leaf (Ficus microcarpa) samples collected from 5 sampling sites at 1 km intervals from the MSWI were found to be significantly decreased with increasing distance, suggesting that the local plants would be impacted by emissions from the MSWI. The exposure assessment of PCDD/Fs for the population living in the vicinity of MSWI was carried out by simultaneously analyzing PCDD/Fs in other food groups that were commonly consumed by the residents. If only the local vegetables were consumed and other foods were acquired commercially, the total dietary intake for a general adult was 0.94 ± 0.41 pg TEQ/kg bw/day, of which consumption of local vegetables accounted for 52.3%. If all foods consumed including vegetables were from a commercial source, the total dietary intake was 0.56 ± 0.30 pg TEQ/kg bw/day, of which consumption of commercial vegetables accounted for 20.1%. The present study for the first time reported the additional human exposure to PCDD/Fs via consumption of local vegetables impacted by emissions from MSWI.

Exposure to heavy metals in blood and risk perception of the population living in the vicinity of municipal waste incinerators in Korea

The purpose of this study was to monitor and present the heavy metal concentrations in the blood of residents of areas near municipal waste incinerators (MWIs), who are more prone to environmental pollution. We also sought to compare and analyze the residents' perception of environmental pollution as one of the factors affecting heavy metal concentrations in the blood using a survey about the perceived damage caused by the facilities. Since heavy metal levels in the blood can be affected not only by local environmental pollution but also by personal and occupational factors, heavy metal levels in the blood need to be verified and consistently monitored. Residents who live within 300 m of MWIs in Seoul are acknowledged to be under indirect influence according to the Waste Disposal Act. A survey was given to 841 residents living within 300 m of a MWI from 2006 to 2009. The concentrations of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and mercury) in the blood were measured in the 841 surveyed residents and in 105 residents in reference areas. Additionally, the perception of the damage caused by municipal waste incinerators was investigated using scores from 1 to 5 on a Likert scale. The measurements of the heavy metal concentrations in the blood showed that the mean concentrations of lead, cadmium, and mercury were 43.1, 1.7, and 1.3 ug/L, respectively. The blood levels of lead and cadmium were slightly higher in the group of the subjects who had resided the longest near the municipal waste incinerators. When compared with the domestic investigation by the Ministry of Environment, the concentrations of lead and cadmium were a little higher, while that of mercury was a little lower. Overall, there was no significant difference in the distribution of heavy metal levels in the blood among age groups. Additionally, the investigation of the perceived damage from municipal waste incinerators showed that the subjects.

Serum Dioxin Levels in Residents Living in the Vicinity of Municipal Waste Incinerators in Taiwan

This study used data obtained from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration to measure the dioxin exposure and the body burden for residents living in the vicinity of 19 municipal waste incinerators (MWIs). A survey was conducted in 1999–2003 for the residents. Approximately 16 ambient air samples and a 60-ml blood samples of 84 to 92 residents aged 18–65 yr were collected randomly in four zones (A, B, C, D) for each MWI site based on the atmospheric dispersion model (ADM). Zone A was defined with the highest pollution level, followed by zones B and C, and zone D (background level). Congeners of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were determined for each sample. We summarized the PCDD/Fs levels in air samples and serum specimens by zone for these 19 sites. The mean ambient levels of PCDD/Fs fitted the ADM, the highest from zone A and the lowest from zone D (2.74 vs. 0.13 pg I-TEQ/Nm3). However, the mean serum concentration in zones A was not distinct from that in zones D (18.7 vs. 19.0 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid). The age-specific average serum concentration increased from 13.27 pg WHO-TEQ/g in 18- to 25-yr-old subjects to 23.46 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid in 56- to 65-yr-old subjects. In conclusion, the serum PCDD/Fs levels among residents did not adhere to the dispersion model for incineration emissions. The dose-response of serum PCDD/Fs by age suggests that the body burden of the chemicals is mainly associated with other sources instead of with inhalation.

Analysis and occurrence of toxic planar PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs in milk by use of carbosphere activated carbon

A method is described for the determination of the toxicologically related planar PCB-congeners 3,3′,4,4′-tetra, 3,3′,4,4′,5-penta and 3,3′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachloro-biphenyl, based on the former Carbosphere methodology for the isomer-specific analysis of the seventeen toxic 2,3,7,8- chlorine substituted PCDD and PCDF congeners. The method proved to be rapid, accurate and reproducible (SD 8 %) for the analysis of low ppt levels of planar PCBs in cow's milk. The method has been applied to the analysis of planar PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs in cow's milk from the vicinity of several sources and in human milk. A level of planar PCBs in human milk in the Netherlands was found of 9.2 pg TEQ/g fat. In samples of cow's milk from the vicinity of municipal waste incinerators and a metal reclamation plant, planar PCB levels ranged between 1.1 and 6.1 pg TEQ/g fat, whereas PCDD/Fs levels ranged between 1.3 and 12.9 pg TEQ/g fat. The factors that may be involved in the occurrence of planar PCBs in cow's milk are discussed in view of the presence of different sources in combination with the influence of kinetics of the individual PCB congeners in the cow.

Occurrence of dioxins in cow's milk in the vicinity of municipal waste incinerators and a metal reclamation plant in the Netherlands

Over 200 samples of cow's milk have been analysed for dioxins in a survey on the occurrence of dioxins in milk from the vicinity of municipal waste incinerators (MSWs) and other potential dioxin sources in The Netherlands. Levels in milk were found to vary considerably with time, depending on emission rates, the direction and distance to the source and the feeding and housing of cows. Highest levels of up to 13.5 pg TEQ/g of milk fat were found in the Lickebaert area and Zaandam near two incinerators with highest emission rates. The background level ranged between 0.7 and 2.5 pg TEQ/g of milk fat. Levels in winter were comparable to those found in summer and, in some areas, even higher, when cows were fed with hay and silage harvested on the same farm. After the closure of the MSW in Zaandam, cow's milk from neighbouring farms showed a significant decrease in dioxin levels to below the critical limit of 6 pg TEQ/g of milk fat. Dioxin levels in the vicinity of a metal reclamation plant were comparable to those in milk from the vicinity of a MSW with moderate emissions. Differences were observed in the ratio PCDF/PCDD, which was higher in milk near the metal reclamation plant. Principal component analysis has been applied on a large data set of patterns of the 2,3,7,8-chlorine substituted PCDDs and PCDFs in cow's milk. This technique has proved to be useful for distinguishing and identification of sources on the basis of the isomer pattern in milk.