Regional human health risk assessment of cadmium and hexachlorocyclohexane for agricultural land in China

Widespread pollution of agricultural soil is posing great risks to food safety and human health. The absence of human health-based Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC) for agricultural land means Chinese farmers struggle to manage these risks efficiently and effectively. Cadmium (Cd) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), two of the most concerned contaminants, demonstrate threshold toxicity meaning that background exposure (MDI_oral) is considered when deriving soil Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC). The CLEA (Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment) model was used to derive GAC for Cd and HCH that reflect differences in diet and soil characteristics across 19 provinces/cities. For both cadmium and alpha-HCH, Sichuan had the lowest GAC of 0.379 mg kg^?1 and 0.0136 mg kg^?1, respectively, resulting from its significant high MDI_oral values, which are approximately six to nine times larger than the average MDI_oral for all the 19 provinces/cities. Jiangxi province had the highest GAC of 1.230 mg kg^?1 and 0.0866 mg kg^?1, respectively, for cadmium and alpha-HCH, caused by its notable low MDI_oral values and low vegetable consumption rate. Human health risk assessment based on regional GAC for Cd revealed that agricultural land with very high to high risks is located in southern China, while very low-risk land is located in northern China. For HCH, alpha- and gamma-HCH pose negligible health risks, but beta-HCH poses some health risk in some of the provinces/cities. When applying the regional GAC for beta-HCH, agricultural land in Beijing and Sichuan posed the highest risk, and those in Heilongjiang and Jiangxi had the lowest risk. This reflects the significant influence of background and vegetable consumption pathway on the GAC. Regional GACs could simplify and speed up risk assessment of agricultural land in different regions of China, by avoiding the need to calculate site-specific assessment criteria, thus saving time and money by avoiding over or under remediation.

     

Oral bioaccessibility of metals in an urban catchment,Newcastle upon Tyne

The metal content was determined in soils from a former, historic, contaminated land site and now a ‘green’ public open space in N.E. England. Using a systematic sampling grid approach, 32 soil samples were taken from locations across the site and analyzed for six potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn). Initially, the pseudo-total metal content of the soils was determined using acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis. This data was evaluated against published soil guideline value (SGV) and generic assessment criteria (GAC) values; it was found that 21% (i.e., 41 samples) exceeded the stated lower values. The data was then compared to the oral bioaccessibility of the soils, which was assessed by an in-vitro gastrointestinal extraction procedure. The results, determined as the % BAF, indicated that overall bioaccessibility was low (<10% BAF) for all the elements studied; the exception was Cd. Given that SGV/GAC values are based on generic land-use categories and not a public open space, as investigated in this work, further work is recommended on developing a qualitative risk assessment at the site to estimate the risks posed to human health via the direct and indirect soil ingestion pathway.     

Spatial health risk assessment and hierarchical risk management for mercury in soils from a typical contaminated site,China

Due to rapid urbanization and the implementation of ecological civilization construction in China, many industrial factories have been closed or relocated. Therefore, numbers of contaminated sites were generated with contaminated soils which may pose a risk to receptors living nearby. This study presented a spatial health risk assessment and hierarchical risk management policy making for mercury (Hg) in soils from a typical contaminated site in the Hunan Province, central China. Compared with the second class value (0.3 mg/kg) of the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils, the mean concentrations of Hg in the three soil depths exceeded the second class value. The non-carcinogenic risk of Hg probably posed adverse health effects in 41, 30 and 36 % of the surface soil, the moderate soil and subsoil, respectively, under a sensitive land scenario. The non-carcinogenic risk temporarily posed no adverse health effects in most areas under an insensitive land scenario except for the area around sampling site S29. Spatially, the central, southwest and northeast parts of the contaminated land under a sensitive land scenario should be regarded as the priority regions. For non-carcinogenic effects, the exposure pathways that resulted in the higher levels of exposure risk were ingestion and inhalation of vapors, followed by dermal contact and inhalation of particles. A risk-based integrated risk management policy including the hierarchical risk control values for different soil depths and the calculated remediation earthwork was proposed with consideration of the cost-benefit effect for the related decision-makers.     

污染土地价值评估问题探讨

工业化和城市化为人类福利的改善作出极大的贡献,也带来了大量的污染土地。污染土地是指含有能对人身健康、环境或其它目标产生直接或间接危害的污染物的土地。污染会影响土地的价值,因此,污染土地价值评估问题近年来受到关注。文章总结了污染土地价值评估的研究进展,对关键概念进行探讨和界定,依据我国常用的几种传统土地价值评估方法,探讨如何进行修正以适应污染土地的价值评估,并对污染清理费用、环境责任费用、污名等一些关键问题进行讨论,提出污染土地的价值损失中必须考虑几个方面的不确定性：（1）与工程措施有关的清理费用的不确定性;（2）当前和未来管制要求的不确定性;（3）市场对污染损害反应的不确定性;（4）随着时间变化,市场对污染损害反应的变化。最后结合实际,说明污染土地价值评估不仅要探索新方法,也要在增加和完善环境方面的立法、进一步完善技术标准、促进学科的相互交流和发挥行业组织的主导作用等方面加强。     

Assessing the risk of soil contamination in the Swiss Jura using indicator geostatistics

The probability that the concentrations of toxic substances in soil or other medium exceed tolerablemaxima at any unsampled place can be estimated by indicator geostatistics. The method is developed and used to estimate and map the risk of contamination by cadmium, copper and lead in the topsoil of a 14.5 km 2 region in the Swiss Jura. It combines both direct measurements of metal concentrations and thecalibration of a geological map, and it shows that the risk of toxicity is least on Argovian rocks. Two approaches are proposed to divide a region into safe' and 'hazardous' zones on the basis of probability maps. The first declares as contaminated all places where the risk of contamination exceeds a given threshold. The second approach first evaluates the financial costs that might result from a wrongdeclaration, after which the site is allocated to a class so as to minimize that cost. The risk of exposure for humans and animals is generally greater for contaminated agricultural land than for forest soil, and so land use is taken into account in both procedures.     

农药在稻田使用对地下水的风险评估研究进展

农药风险评估可为农药登记和农药的环境安全管理提供重要的科学依据。水稻生产过程中病虫草害严重,农药使用品种多、频次高,田水存留时间长,对地下水污染风险高。开展农药在稻田使用对地下水的风险评估研究具有重要的现实意义。文章详细介绍了欧盟和美国的水稻-地下水风险评估研究进展,包括风险评估程序、暴露评估模型及暴露场景等。总结了我国农药在稻田使用对地下水风险评估的研究现状,并分析了我国研究的不足之处。在此基础上,提出了加强我国农药在稻田使用对地下水风险评估的建议。     

Potential impact model to assess agricultural pressure to landscape ecological functions

Conservation and protection of soil and water resources and visual aspects of landscape, as well as the promotion of biodiversity, are some of the central tasks of environmental policy development and social politics in the future. One of the main questions is: ‘which agricultural systems are able to guarantee sustained resource-conserving land use?’ Based on the ecological risk concepts of the 1970s and 1980s, a potential impact model was developed using a universal assessment algorithm derived from fuzzy logic. The model estimated the potential impact of agricultural land use on ecosystem function using a few resource indicators. Intervention intensities of agricultural land-use are set in relation to site conditions and aggregated for each of several defined potential impact categories. The interpretation with respect to risk and the calculation of potential impact values are explained.     

Scenarios of large mammal loss in Europe for the 21st century

Distributions and populations of large mammals are declining globally, leading to an increase in their extinction risk. We forecasted the distribution of extant European large mammals (17 carnivores and 10 ungulates) based on 2 Rio+20 scenarios of socioeconomic development: business as usual and reduced impact through changes in human consumption of natural resources. These scenarios are linked to scenarios of land‐use change and climate change through the spatial allocation of land conversion up to 2050. We used a hierarchical framework to forecast the extent and distribution of mammal habitat based on species’ habitat preferences (as described in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List database) within a suitable climatic space fitted to the species’ current geographic range. We analyzed the geographic and taxonomic variation of habitat loss for large mammals and the potential effect of the reduced impact policy on loss mitigation. Averaging across scenarios, European large mammals were predicted to lose 10% of their habitat by 2050 (25% in the worst‐case scenario). Predicted loss was much higher for species in northwestern Europe, where habitat is expected to be lost due to climate and land‐use change. Change in human consumption patterns was predicted to substantially improve the conservation of habitat for European large mammals, but not enough to reduce extinction risk if species cannot adapt locally to climate change or disperse.     

Environmental risk assessment of metals contaminated soils at silvermines abandoned mine site,Co Tipperary,Ireland

A centuries long history of mining and mineral processing has resulted in elevated Cd, Pb and Zn soil concentrations in the vicinity of the Silvermines abandoned mine site (AMS), Co. Tipperary, Ireland. A process for preliminary evaluation of environmental risk was developed and implemented. Potential pathways of metal compound transport and deposition were mapped and used to optimise the subsequent site investigation. Elevated soil metals are shown to be predominantly in areas where metal deposition in soil is associated with water related pathways (surface runoff, seasonal groundwater seepage and floodplains). Extensive areas of soil in the surrounding district are classified as contaminated on the basis of Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations, both total and potential bioavailable (EDTA-extractable). The most affected areas, with metal concentrations in soil comparable with that within the AMS, were floodplains located 2–3 km downstream from the site. Assessment of the sequential effects on grass and grazing animals indicates that Pb poses the greatest risk due to its high toxicity and high concentrations in soil (more than 10 000 mg kg^–1). Within floodplain areas grazing cattle may intake a lethal dose of Pb. On the basis of the investigation an approach to risk assessment was developed which allowed quantified assessment of the risks related to individual metals, areas of contamination and contamination targets.     

eChemPortal及其在我国重点环境管理危险化学品环境风险评估中的应用

危害性识别是化学品环境风险评估工作的重要基础,危害性数据的质量直接影响化学品环境风险评估工作的结果与结论。通过介绍经济合作与发展组织(OECD)eChemPortal近几年来的主要变化,以上海地区涉及的30种重点环境管理危险化学品为例,比较分析我国《危险化学品分类信息表》及eChemPortal引用的按照《欧盟物质和混合物的分类、标签和包装法规》的公开分类和标签目录(ECHA CL inventory)、日本政府全球化学品统一分类和标签分类结果(GHS-J)的差异。结果表明:eChemPortal作为OECD建立的全球化学物质信息门户,加入的数据库多数经过政府机构或同行评审,准确性和可靠性相对较高,目前已有32个数据库加入到该平台,其中32个数据库支持化学物质检索,4个数据库支持化学性质检索,2个数据库支持GHS检索,并且数据库的数量和功能还在持续增加;相对于国家安全监管总局的《危险化学品分类信息表》和ECHA CL inventory,GHS-J的危害性分类结果较为完善,而且多数分类结果提供了具体的分类数据基础信息,这对于分类结果的评估十分有用。上述研究表明我国政府监管部门有必要结合eChemPortal等权威的数据信息平台发布我国重点环境管理危险化学品环境风险评估推荐数据库,从而规范重点环境管理危险化学品环境风险评估过程并推动对化学品的有效环境监管。     

北京部分地区地下水中全氟化合物的污染水平初探

全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)因具有持久性、生物蓄积性和毒性,近年来得到全世界的广泛关注。我国对PFCs环境污染水平的研究主要集中在污水、河水、湖水等浓度较高的水体,针对地下水中PFCs的存在情况研究较为缺乏。为了解北京市地下水中PFCs的污染水平,采集和分析了6个采样地段26眼监测井中的地下水。结果表明:18种目标PFCs中有11种存在不同程度的检出,以C4~C9的全氟羧酸(MQLs~42.9 ng·L-1)和C4~C8的全氟磺酸(MQLs~23.2 ng·L-1)为主。风险评价结果显示,地下水中PFCs未达到对生态环境和人体健康具有风险的水平。本研究提供了北京地区地下水中PFCs污染水平的初步数据,有利于后续开展地下水中PFCs监测和风险评估等研究。     

Assessing nitrate contamination and its potential health risk to Kinmen residents

Kinmen is located in the southwest of Mainland China. Groundwater supplies 50% of the domestic water use on the island. Residents of Kinmen drink groundwater over the long term because surface water resources are limited. Nitrate–N pollution is found and distributed primarily in the western part of groundwater aquifer whereas saline groundwater is distributed to the northeastern Kinmen. This work applied the DRASTIC model to construct the vulnerability map of Kinmen groundwater. MT3D was then used to evaluate the contamination potential of nitrate–N. The health risk associated with the ingestion of nitrate–N contaminated groundwater is also assessed. The results from DRASTIC model showed that the upland crop and grass land have high contamination potential, whereas the forest, reservoir and housing land have low contamination potential. The calibrated MT3D model inversely determined the high strength sources (0.09–2.74 kg/m²/year) of nitrate contaminant located in the west to the north west area and required 2–5 years travel time to reach the monitoring wells. Simulated results of MT3D also showed that both the continuous and instantaneous contaminant sources of nitrate–N release may cause serious to moderate nitrate contamination in the western Kinmen and jeopardize the domestic use of groundwater. The chronic health hazard quotient (HQ) associated with the potential non-carcinogenic risk of drinking nitrate–N contaminated groundwater showed that the assessed 95th percentile of HQ is 2.74, indicating that exposure to waterborne nitrate poses a potential non-cancer risk to the residents of the island. Corrective measures, including protecting groundwater recharge zones and reducing the number of agricultural and non-agricultural nitrogen sources that enters the aquifer, should be implemented especially in the western part of Kinmen to assure a sustainable use of groundwater resources.     

西方国家工业污染场地管理经验及其对中国的借鉴

近年来,随着＂退二进三＂、＂退城进园＂和＂产业转移＂等政策的实施,中国几乎所有的大中城市正面临着重污染工业企业关闭和搬迁问题,城市出现大量工业遗留和遗弃场地。这些受污染的工业场地多存在较为严重的土壤、地表水和地下水污染;另外,工业污染场地的延迟再开发,会产生生活环境变差、就业机会减少、甚至社会不稳定因素增加等社会影响。所以,城市工业污染场地严重威胁着城市人居环境安全和公众健康,阻碍着城市建设和经济发展。面对工业污染场地目前存在的问题,国家及部分地方政府已针对污染场地的管理、修复及其再开发颁布了诸多文件和技术规范标准。然而,由于工业场地类型的多样性和环境管理学科的交叉性,中国城市工业污染场地的环境管理工作仍处于起步阶段,亟需完善。美国、英国和加拿大经过20~30年的发展已经在工业污染场地管理方面积累了丰富的经验,他们不仅在环境管理中体现了人体健康风险评估的理念,而且还立足本国实际出台了相关的法律法规,明确了污染场地的责任主体,实现了＂污染者付费＂的原则,同时还建立了各自的污染场地治理优先名录,实现了污染场地管理的信息化和网络化。本文鉴于对这些经验的比较分析,结合我国实际,就城市工业污染场地的环境管理提出了现阶段亟须解决的两大问题。首先,制定工业污染场地管理的专门法律,明确污染场地的责任主体。我国现有的与污染场地有关的国家法律法规,都比较笼统地提出了污染场地的利益相关方,缺乏具有可操作性的细则和威慑力的责任追究条款。对于我国这样地域辽阔、自然地理条件差异大、经济水平不均衡的国家来说,通过地方法律法规的建立明确污染场地的责任主体是一个重要的尝试。其次,构建污染场地健康风险评估系统。我国城市工业污染场地涉及诸多工业行业、污染类型繁多复杂。因此,在全国范围内对城市工业污染场地进行排查、建立优先污染场地名录是构建污染场地风险评估系统的重要内容。此外,我国现有的土壤质量标准和场地评估规范仍存在诸多缺陷,无法满足当前国家城市工业污染场地的管理需要。所以,完善场地评估的技术规范和相关标准将为污染场地风险评估系统的构建提供基础性保障。本文的论述和观点可为我国工业企业关停或搬迁遗留地的决策管理和污染场地管理体系的建立提供有意义的参考和借鉴。     

矿粮复合区土壤-作物系统重金属污染风险性评价

为分析矿区污染农田农作物生产的生态安全性,以焦作市中马村矿区的典型农田为例,对矿区农田土壤及植物中Zn、Cr、Cd、Cu和Pb等重金属的质量分数进行了测定,并对重金属污染风险进行了评价。结果表明,根据重金属的单项污染指数,在矿井水污灌农田（F1样地）土壤中Zn和Cd的质量分数达到中度污染水平,Cr的质量分数达到轻微污染水平,Cu和Pb元素质量分数未达到污染水平。在煤矸石污染农田（F2样地）土壤中Zn、Cr和Cd的质量分数达到轻度污染水平,Cu和Pb元素质量分数未达到污染水平。在矿区公路侧农田（F3样地）土壤中各元素质量分数均未达到污染水平。采用潜在生态风险指数法对土壤重金属污染的生态风险进行评价,F1和F2样地综合生态风险指数分别为239．60和178．42,达到中等水平,F3样地土壤达到轻微生态风险水平。采用单项污染指数和综合污染指数法对小麦（Triticumaestivum）籽粒中重金属风险进行评价,在F1和F2样地中,小麦籽粒中Cu质量分数均未达到污染水平,Pb、Cd和Cr质量分数均达到重度污染水平。Zn质量分数在Fl样地中达到轻度污染水平,在F2样地中达到中度污染水平。在F3样地中,小麦籽粒中Cd和Cu质量分数未达到污染水平,Zn质量分数达到轻度污染水平,Pb、Cr质量分数达到重度污染水平。从综合污染指数评价来看,F1、F2和F33个样地小麦籽粒中重金属污染综合指数均达到重度污染水平。评价结果对科学治理矿区污染土壤,确保矿区农田生态安全、粮食生产安全具有重要意义。     

Verhalten von PAK im system boden/Pflanze

The results of lysimeter experiments conducted since 1991 dealing with the behavior of PAH in soil/plant systems demonstrate that the PAH pollution to cultivated plants may be caused by both atmospheric deposition and by the soil-to-plant transfer observed in contaminated sites. In the latter, a “direct contamination” of plant surfaces with PAH-loaded soil particles and the subsequent PAH turnover by desorption/adsorption processes is seen to dominate—at least for the most relevant PAHs toxic to humans, benzo(a)pyrene and dibenz(a,h)anthracene. Leafy vegetables growing close to the soil surface are therefore endangered most by a PAH contamination of the soil. The soil-to-plant transfer via “direct contamination” can be reduced to a high degree by covering the contaminated soil with different mulch materials. Systematic PAH transfer via root uptake could not generally be observed. From the reported results, a trigger value in the soil of 1 mg·kg^?1 for benzo(a)pyrene is proposed to make a judgement on PAH contaminated soils with regard to the soil-to-plant transfer pathways. Soils with excessive concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene demand special attention when considering the recommendations for the growth and consumption of cultivated vegetables. The “soil”as well as the “deposition pathways” must be integrated into a complete risk assessment of locations with food plant production, especially in urban areas.     

Expositionsszenarien nach REACH

Object and Background

Production and use of substances and formulations can result in exposures on humans and the environment. In October 2003, the European Commissions presented a proposal for the registration, evaluation, assessment and restriction of chemicals (REACH). Assessment of exposures will become an essential element of REACH for certain substances. For many manufacturers and users of substances and formulations these tasks are new. Pilot projects to REACH have shown so far that solutions and instruments for these tasks which meet the requirements of real life situations have yet to be developed.

Discussion and Conclusions

Within the REACH proposal, exposure scenarios are a main element of the chemical safety assessment. This article outlines the contents of exposure scenarios. It reflects experiences with exposure scenarios and discusses possibilities of standardization. It covers exposure steps/categories and possibilities to build product groups. Non-branch specific types of exposure situations are an important element of exposure scenarios. Therefore, exposure steps/categories should be contained in exposure scenarios. Nevertheless, these elements structure only a specific part of the information contained in exposure scenarios. Hence they cannot replace exposure scenarios. Exposure categories do not reveal the uses, the processes and the activities connected with the intended use of substances. These information are important parts of a complete exposure scenario. They are the basis for the following step of risk characterisation. In addition, they provide the necessary transparency regarding the use patteern of substances.     

Wirkungsabschätzungsmethoden und Querverbindungen im Rahmen der Ökobilanz – Unterschiede zum Risk Assessment

This review defines the differences between impact assessment as component of life cycle assessment (LCA) and risk assessment. From the early LCAs, the article describes the development to the LCAs in the current meaning, deals with today’s practice of impact assessment, reviews the philosophy of impact assessment and ends with the “new” impact categories which have not yet found their way into the practice of LCA.     

Concentrations,input prediction and probabilistic biological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) along Gujarat coastline

A comprehensive investigation was conducted in order to assess the levels of PAHs, their input prediction and potential risks to bacterial abundance and human health along Gujarat coastline. A total of 40 sediment samples were collected at quarterly intervals within a year from two contaminated sites—Alang-Sosiya Shipbreaking Yard (ASSBRY) and Navlakhi Port (NAV), situated at Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kutch, respectively. The concentration of ΣPAHs ranged from 408.00 to 54240.45 ng g^?1 dw, indicating heavy pollution of PAHs at both the contaminated sites. Furthermore, isomeric ratios and principal component analysis have revealed that inputs of PAHs at both contaminated sites were mixed-pyrogenic and petrogenic. Pearson co-relation test and regression analysis have disclosed Nap, Acel and Phe as major predictors for bacterial abundance at both contaminated sites. Significantly, cancer risk assessment of the PAHs has been exercised based on incremental lifetime cancer risks. Overall, index of cancer risk of PAHs for ASSBRY and NAV ranged from 4.11 × 10^?6–2.11 × 10^?5 and 9.08 × 10^?6–4.50 × 10^?3 indicating higher cancer risk at NAV compared to ASSBRY. The present findings provide baseline information that may help in developing advanced bioremediation and bioleaching strategies to minimize biological risk.     

RBCA、CLEA及CalTOX模型在苯并[a]芘污染场地健康风险评估中的应用比较

为探讨不同模型对污染场地健康风险评估结果的影响,以苯并[a]芘为例,采用RBCA、CLEA和CalTOX模型对某工业污染场地表层土壤进行健康风险评估,分析了评估结果的差异和原因,同时对模型的主要暴露参数进行了敏感性分析,并推导出基于风险概率分布的土壤修复限值。结果表明,RBCA、CLEA和CalTOX模型计算的苯并[a]芘致癌总风险分别为2.40×10-4、6.32×10-4和7.04×10-6,且经口摄入和皮肤接触2个途径对人体健康造成的危害最大。降解作用是影响CalTOX模型风险评估结果不同于RBCA和CLEA模型的重要因素,3个模型间参数取值及方法学的差异也会导致风险评估结果不同。各模型暴露参数的敏感性排序也有差异。采用基于风险概率分布的方法推导土壤修复限值,RBCA、CLEA和CalTOX模型所得结果分别为0.18、0.08、0.13(不考虑降解作用CalTOX模型)和10.74(考虑降解作用CalTOX模型)mg·kg-1,为各模型直接推导值的1.5～2.6倍。基于风险概率分布的方法可有效降低风险评估过程中参数不确定性的影响,为工业污染场地土壤修复值的制定提供参考。     

健康风险评估方法在中国重金属污染中的应用及暴露评估模型的研究进展

经济的快速发展导致中国环境质量日趋恶化.随着健康意识的增强,人们越来越重视污染物暴露人群的健康风险评估.与其他污染物相比,重金属污染区域广,重金属暴露人群多且集中.为了研究重金属暴露条件下人群的健康风险,USEPA 模型、统计模型、地理信息系统、可给性研究的方法已被中国不同学者应用.暴露评估模型作为污染物暴露人群健康风险评估的主要环节,国外的研究已经比较成熟,但相关研究在中国还处于空白阶段.对中国近年来在城市表层土壤（灰尘）、矿区土壤、膳食、地下水和饮用水、大气颗粒物进行重金属风险评估中应用的健康风险评估方法,进行了归纳和评述,并对欧美常用暴露评估模型：环境暴露评估模型、膳食暴露评估模型进行了介绍.中国健康风险评估工作起步晚,在评估的各环节均存在很大缺陷.随着新技术的发展以及人群对环境健康风险认识的深化,健康风险评估将成为中国热门研究领域之一.污染的环境行为、剂量一效应关系、模型、风险信息等方面,将是未来中国健康风险评估研究的重点.