Occurrence and impact of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans in the air and soil around a municipal solid waste incinerator
Zhiguang Zhou
,
Yue Ren
,
Jiazhi Chu
,
Nan Li
,
Sen Zhen
,
Hu Zhao
,
Shuang Fan
,
Hui Zhang
,
Pengjun Xu
,
Li Qi
,
Shuting Liang
,
Bin Zhao
DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2015.11.024
Received July 24, 2015,Revised November 04, 2015, Accepted November 04, 2015, Available online February 04, 2016
Volume 28,2016,Pages 244-251
To assess the influence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) on the environment in the vicinity of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs), we determined the levels of PCDD/Fs in air and soil samples collected around a MSWI, which is the largest in China. The International Toxicity Equivalency Quantity (I-TEQ) concentrations of PCDD/Fs in air samples were from 0.0300 to 1.03 pg I-TEQ/m3 (0.445–13.6 pg/m3), with an average of 0.237 pg I-TEQ/m3, while in soil samples they ranged from 0.520 to 3.40 pg I-TEQ/g (2.41–88.7 pg/g) with an average of 1.49 pg I-TEQ/g. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs in air and soil samples were comparable to other areas, and PeCDFs were the dominant contributors, which was different from stack gas homologue patterns. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that PCDD/Fs emission from the MSWI did not directly affect the profiles of PCDD/Fs in air and soils, so that vehicles and unidentified emission sources should be considered. The daily inhalation levels of PCDD/Fs for children (0.0110 to 0.392 pg I-TEQ/(kg·day) and adults (0.00600 to 0.221 pg I-TEQ/(kg·day) near the MSWI were lower than the tolerable daily intake of 1.00 to 4.00 pg WHO-TEQ/(kg·day), but in winter the values were higher than in summer. These results can be used as basic data for assessing the risk of PCDD/Fs exposure in residents living around this MSWI, and more monitoring programs and studies should be carried out around MSWIs.
