Probabilistic health risk assessment for ingestion of seafood farmed in arsenic contaminated groundwater in Taiwan

Seafood farmed in arsenic (As)-contaminated areas is a major exposure pathway for the ingestion of inorganic As by individuals in the southwestern part of Taiwan. This study presents a probabilistic risk assessment using limited data for inorganic As intake through the consumption of the seafood by local residents in these areas. The As content and the consumption rate are both treated as probability distributions, taking into account the variability of the amount in the seafood and individual consumption habits. The Monte Carlo simulation technique is utilized to conduct an assessment of exposure due to the daily intake of inorganic As from As-contaminated seafood. Exposure is evaluated according to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) established by the FAO/WHO and the target risk based on the US Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. The assessment results show that inorganic As intake from five types of fish (excluding mullet) and shellfish fall below the PTWI threshold values for the 95th percentiles, but exceed the target cancer risk of 10^?6. The predicted 95th percentile for inorganic As intake and lifetime cancer risks obtained in the study are both markedly higher than those obtained in previous studies in which the consumption rate of seafood considered is a deterministic value. This study demonstrates the importance of the individual variability of seafood consumption when evaluating a high exposure sub-group of the population who eat higher amounts of fish and shellfish than the average Taiwanese.     

Health risk assessment maps for arsenic groundwater content: application of national geochemical databases

This investigation assesses the feasibility of calculating and visualizing health risk estimates from exposure to groundwater contaminated with arsenic (As) using data from national geochemical databases. The potential health risk associated with As-contaminated groundwater was assessed based on an elaboration of existing geochemical data in accordance with accepted methodological procedures established for human health risk assessment (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency methodology). A screening analysis approach was used for estimating the contribution of As to the total chronic health risk from exposure to groundwater contaminated with potentially toxic elements, including As, Ba, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, Se and Zn, and the results indicate that As contributes significantly (>50%) to this total health chronic risk in about 10% of Slovak territory. Based on the calculation of the potential risk level by exposure modelling, increased chronic as well as carcinogenic risk levels (medium to high) were documented in approximately 0.2 and 11% of the total Slovak area, respectively. The areas characterized by high health risk levels are mainly those geogenically contaminated. High and very high carcinogenic risk was determined in 34 of 79 districts and in 528 of 2924 municipalities.     

Health risk assessment for arsenic contaminated soil

This paper describes risk assessment methods for two chronic exposure pathways involving arsenic contaminated soil, namely inhalation of fugitive dust emissions over a lifetime, and inadvertent soil/house dust ingestion. The endpoint in the first case is assumed to be lung cancer and in the second case skin cancer. In order to estimate exposures, inhalation rates and soil/dust ingestion rates are estimated for different age groups; indoor/outdoor time budgets for different age groups are developed; and indoor surface dust and air arsenic concentrations are estimated based on outdoor concentration measurements. Differences observed in indoor/outdoor ratios and arsenic containing dust particle size among different types of communities are noted, as well as possible relationship of particle size to bioavailability. Calculations of risk are presented using cancer potency factors developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and uncertainties in these toxicity estimates are described based on: (1) evidence that arsenic may be neither a cancer initiator nor promotor, but may act instead as a late stage carcinogen and (2) evidence that the arsenic dose-response relationship for ingestion may be nonlinear at low doses due to increasing methylation of inorganic arsenic. The first of these considerations influences the relative importance ascribed to arsenic doses in different age groups. The latter consideration indicates that the risk estimates described here are probably very conservative.     

拉萨市垃圾填埋场地下水水质的居民健康风险评价

对拉萨市垃圾填埋场地区地下水6个监测井中的Cr~(6+)、As、Cd、Pb、NO~-_3-N、F~-、Cl~-指标采用美国环保局USEPA推荐的健康风险评价模型,按照不同人群进行健康风险评价.评价结果表明,通过暴露剂量计算,在饮水途径和皮肤接触途径下非致癌物暴露剂量一般高于致癌物暴露剂量;饮水途径暴露剂量高于皮肤接触途径下的暴露剂量.致癌污染物在饮水途径下风险值大于皮肤接触途径下的风险值,其中饮水途径下风险贡献为Cr~(6+)AsCd,Cr~(6+)风险值超过USEPA的最大可接受水平1×10~(-4);在皮肤接触途径下贡献为Cr~(6+)AsCd,Cr~(6+)的风险值超过瑞典环保局、荷兰建设环保局、英国皇家协会和IAEA最大可接受风险水平;非致癌风险的污染物贡献最大的是Cl~-,其通过饮水暴露途径在成人中风险值高于瑞典环保局(1×10~(-6))、荷兰建设环保局(1×10~(-6))、英国皇家协会(1×10~(-6))和IAEA(5×10~(-7))最大可接受水平.因此,致癌物中Cr~(6+)成为主要的致癌物,人们在饮水中要将其去除,起到预防癌症和减少患癌的几率.     

常州市浅层地下水重金属污染对城区、城郊居民健康风险评价

采用美国EPA推荐的风险评价模型,同时考虑研究区人群基本情况和生活习惯等,进行推荐模型的参数优化,建立适合研究区人群的风险评价方法,并对城区、城郊不同暴露途径下地下水污染进行健康风险评价.结果表明,常州城区饮水暴露途径与皮肤暴露途径致癌风险男性分别为2.79×10-3和2.81×10-5,女性分别为1.87×10-3和2.45×10-5;非致癌风险男性分别为3.48×10-6和3.79×10-5,女性分别为2.27×10-6和3.01×10-5.城郊饮水暴露途径与皮肤暴露途径致癌风险男性分别为1.26×10-3和1.32×10-5,女性分别为9.77×10-4和1.18×10-5;非致癌风险男性分别为4.07×10-6和3.43×10-5,女性分别为2.14×10-6和9.71×10-6,风险水平均处于可接受范围内.敏感性分析表明饮水暴露途径下各因子的敏感性在-19.8%—20.1%之间,皮肤暴露途径下各因子的敏感性在-14.8%—16.1%之间,对研究区人群暴露参数进行调查实测,降低了评价结果的不确定性.研究浅层地下水的健康风险评价,对合理开发该区域地下水资源具有重要参考价值.     

Origin and assessment of groundwater pollution and associated health risk: a case study in an industrial park,northwest China

Groundwater quality which relates closely to human health has become as important as its quantity due to the demand for safe water. In the present study, an entropy-weighted fuzzy water quality index (WQI) has been proposed for performing groundwater quality assessment in and around an industrial park, northwest China, where domestic water requirements are solely met by groundwater. The human health risk was assessed with the model recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the sources of major ions and main contaminants were also analyzed. The study shows that groundwater in the study area has been contaminated conjunctively by natural processes and industrial and agricultural activities. Nitrate, manganese (Mn), fluoride, total dissolved solids, total hardness and sulfate are major contaminants influencing groundwater quality. Nitrate and heavy metals such as Mn are mainly affected by human agricultural activities and industrial production, while other contaminants are mainly originated from mineral weathering and water–rock interactions. The results of water quality assessment suggest that half of the groundwater samples collected are of medium quality thus require pretreatment before human consumption. The mean health risk caused by the consumption of contaminated groundwater in the area is 8.42 × 10^?5 per year which surpasses the maximum acceptable level (5 × 10^?5 per year) recommended by the International Commission on Radiologic Protection. The entropy-weighted fuzzy WQI proposed in this study can not only assign proper weights to parameters but also treat uncertainties associated with water quality classification. This study will be of interest to international environmentalists and hydrogeologists. It will also be useful in regional groundwater management and protection.     

生活垃圾填埋场地下水污染风险分级方法研究

在综合分析国内外不同行业、不同领域风险分级方法的基础上,初步建立了一种生活垃圾填埋场地下水污染风险分级方法。该方法利用由美国环保局（USEPA）开发的多介质、多路径、多受体风险评价模型（3MRA）中用于描述污染物在地下水迁移的EPACMTP模型和风险评估模型计算生活垃圾填埋场地下水污染风险指数I,利用地下水含水层脆弱性模型（DRASTIC模型）计算地下水含水层脆弱性指数DRASTIC。并以I和DRASTIC为风险分级指标,以MATLAB聚类分析为方法,对生活垃圾填埋场地下水污染风险进行分级。以北京市22个生活垃圾填埋场为例,利用建立的风险分级方法,可将这22个填埋场地下水污染风险从高到低分为4级,并且大部分填埋场属于风险级别较低的3、4级。表明该风险分级方法可行、有效,在一定程度上可以为生活垃圾填埋场地下水污染的风险管理提供依据。     

Evaluating the main sources of groundwater pollution in the southern Tehran aquifer using principal component factor analysis

Determining the main sources of pollution (MSP) in groundwater is crucial to improve water quality (WQ) status. Field studies were conducted in this research, where five sampling campaigns were carried out from 36 wells in the southern Tehran aquifer. In all samples, WQ parameters were measured and evaluated regarding the Iranian drinking water standard (IDWS). Finally, by using the principal component factor analysis (PCFA), the probable MSP in the aquifer were determined. The results showed that all ions, total hardness, and total dissolved solids were above the IDWS. To analyze the PCFA results, only the first four of twenty rotated principal factors (RPFs) that conserved a high percentage of the variance of the data (about 90%) were considered. The results of the first PRF revealed that the geological structure was the MSP in the aquifer. Furthermore, the second RPF was mainly affected by nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphate) and microbial parameters (fecal and total coliforms), indicating the importance of agricultural activities and sewage effluents as another MSP in the aquifer. Finally, the remarkable share of heavy metals and pH in formation of the third and fourth RPFs, respectively, reflected the role of industrial activities as a probable MSP of groundwater.     

昆明不同产地磷石膏对烤烟生长及砷污染风险的影响

为解决磷石膏堆存造成的环境问题,实现其农业资源化利用。通过盆栽试验研究了施用昆明市3个产地磷石膏（上蒜乡、古城镇和草铺镇）对3个品种烤烟（红花大金元、NC297和MS云烟85）生长的影响。结果表明：磷石膏能有效促进烤烟生长,其中施用上蒜磷石膏的效果最好,上蒜磷石膏处理下红花大金元的株高显著高于NC297和MS云烟85,且地上部生物量显著高于 MS 云烟85;施用另外两种如古城和草埔磷石膏后,红花大金元在株高和地上部生物量也表现出不同程度的优势。此外,相对NC297和MS云烟85,施用磷石膏对红花大金元的促磷和抗砷作用更为明显,上蒜磷石膏处理下红花大金元地上部磷吸收量为43.10 mg·pot-1,显著高于NC297和MS云烟85;且施用上蒜磷石膏对红花大金元砷的污染风险较小,其植株地上部砷的质量分数为0.48 mg·kg^-1,显著小于相同处理下NC297和MS云烟85,但烟株地上部砷含量最低的组合为古城磷石膏-NC297烤烟组合,其砷的质量分数为0.20 mg·kg^-1。此外,施用磷石膏也显著增加了土壤中有效磷、硫含量,其中添加上蒜磷石膏能更大程度地提高土壤速效磷的含量,为不施用磷石膏（CK）的11-23倍;施用古城磷石膏后,种植NC297的土壤中有效硫增加最多,为CK的5-15倍。因此,除NC297和MS云烟85施用上蒜磷石膏组合存在一定砷污染风险外,磷石膏可以作为磷、硫肥安全地应用于烤烟生产。     

High soil and groundwater arsenic levels induce high body arsenic loads,health risk and potential anemia for inhabitants of northeastern Iran

Arsenic bioavailability in rock, soil and water resources is notoriously hazardous. Geogenic arsenic enters the body and adversely affects many biochemical processes in animals and humans, posing risk to public health. Chelpu is located in NE Iran, where realgar, orpiment and pyrite mineralization is the source of arsenic in the macroenvironment. Using cluster random sampling strategy eight rocks, 23 soils, 12 drinking water resources, 36 human urine and hair samples and 15 adult sheep urine and wool samples in several large-scale herds in the area were randomly taken for quantification of arsenic in rock/soil/water, wool/hair/urine. Arsenic levels in rock/soil/water and wool/hair/urine were measured using inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectrophotometry, respectively. While arsenic levels in rocks, soils and water resources hazardously ranged 9.40–25,873.3 mg kg^?1, 7.10–1448.80 mg kg^?1 and 12–606 μg L^?1, respectively, arsenic concentrations in humans’ hair and urine and sheep’s wool and urine varied from 0.37–1.37 μg g^?1 and 9–271.4 μg L^?1 and 0.3–3.11 μg g^?1 and 29.1–1015 μg L^?1, respectively. Local sheep and human were widely sick and slightly anemic. Hematological examination of the inhabitants revealed that geogenic arsenic could harm blood cells, potentially resulting in many other hematoimmunological disorders including cancer. The findings warn widespread exposure of animals and human in this agroecologically and geopolitically important region (i.e., its proximity with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan) and give a clue on how arsenic could induce infectious and non-infectious diseases in highly exposed human/animals.     

北江表层沉积物中铊污染的生态风险

为了解珠江水系北江流域表层沉积物中铊的含量,并在此基础上评价珠江流域北江铊污染现状及其生态风险,该研究于2006年采集了广东省北江韶关至清远段的沉积物样品,采用混酸消解后,使用ICP-MS测定了沉积物中铊的含量,应用潜在生态危害指数对北江的铊污染和生态危害进行评价.结果表明,珠江水系北江河段沉积物已达到了较高的铊污染水平,对周围环境存在着较高的铊生态风险.北江干流沉积物中的铊质量浓度范围为0.92 ~ 2.32 mg·kg-1,平均值为1.70 mg·kg-1;各支流沉积物中铊质量浓度范围为1.02 ~ 3.22 mg·kg-1.个别采样点,特别是接近韶关冶炼厂排放口附近沉积物中铊的含量达到7.78 mg·kg-1,具有极高的铊生态风险.对于北江各支流,铊的污染程度与潜在生态风险程度由高到低的排序为马坝河>武江>浈江>滨江>龙塘河,其中马坝河沉积物铊存在高度的生态风险.     

Predicting arsenic concentrations in groundwater of San Luis Valley,Colorado: implications for individual-level lifetime exposure assessment

Consumption of inorganic arsenic in drinking water at high levels has been associated with chronic diseases. Risk is less clear at lower levels of arsenic, in part due to difficulties in estimating exposure. Herein we characterize spatial and temporal variability of arsenic concentrations and develop models for predicting aquifer arsenic concentrations in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, an area of moderately elevated arsenic in groundwater. This study included historical water samples with total arsenic concentrations from 595 unique well locations. A longitudinal analysis established temporal stability in arsenic levels in individual wells. The mean arsenic levels for a random sample of 535 wells were incorporated into five kriging models to predict groundwater arsenic concentrations at any point in time. A separate validation dataset (n = 60 wells) was used to identify the model with strongest predictability. Findings indicate that arsenic concentrations are temporally stable (r = 0.88; 95 % CI 0.83–0.92 for samples collected from the same well 15–25 years apart) and the spatial model created using ordinary kriging best predicted arsenic concentrations (ρ = 0.72 between predicted and observed validation data). These findings illustrate the value of geostatistical modeling of arsenic and suggest the San Luis Valley is a good region for conducting epidemiologic studies of groundwater metals because of the ability to accurately predict variation in groundwater arsenic concentrations.     

城市高架桥降雨径流多环芳烃（PAHs）污染特征及其生态风险评价

以上海市高架桥降雨径流作为研究对象,分析了4场高架路面降雨径流溶解相、颗粒相16种PAHs的质量浓度和场次降雨径流平均浓度（Event Mean Concentration）。探讨了城市高架降雨径流中PAHs质量浓度特征、动态变化过程和污染状况。通过对无量纲累积径流量和无量纲累积污染物负荷曲线M（V）进行幂函数拟合,对4场降雨径流不同环数和总PAHs冲刷强度进行了定量表征。以水样中8种PAHs的监测质量浓度及其对3至40种水生生物的LC50为基础数据,采用推广风险系数法对径流水体PAHs进行了生态风险评价。结果表明：地表径流中溶解态PAHs的质量浓度为27.9~979.4 ng·L-1,主要以3环和4环组分为主;颗粒态PAHs中的质量浓度为1120.1~4892.6 ng·L-1,主要以4-6环的组分为主。径流样品中PAHs更容易吸附在颗粒物上,PAHs主要以颗粒相为主,且4-6环颗粒相PAHs所占比例更高,也显示了化石燃料不完全燃烧的特征。4场降雨径流以2013-05-26次降雨EMC值最大,PAHs污染水平最高。其中通过对BaP的EMC值计算,发现4场降雨径流中BaP的EMC值皆超过了国家的排放标准,应引起相关监测管理部门重视。4场降雨径流均表现不同程度的初始冲刷效应,雨强和径流量是影响初始冲刷的2个重要因素。初始冲刷散点拟合状况良好,定量表征发现2013-06-27次降雨初始冲刷强度最大。风险商表征说明,径流水体PAHs造成的生态风险较小,但部分单体PAH对水生生物的生态影响不容忽视。     

Factors affecting arsenic concentration in groundwater in West Bengal

Groundwater is the major source of drinking water for the population in Malda district, West Bengal. Holocene sediments from Himalayas have contaminated those places through the river Ganges and arsenic was found a potential groundwater contaminant. Field and laboratory experiments were attempted to identify the relationship between arsenic versus Eh of groundwater and content specific elements (As, Co, Mn, Fe, C and S) in different types of Holocene sediments on a freshly constructed wells. Arsenic versus Eh of groundwater and Holocene clay over Holocene sand were found performing a major role in the aquifers of arsenic affected areas.     

河套灌区地下水氮污染状况

河套灌区浅层地下水氮浓度和地下水埋深的季节变化规律调查结果表明:3月地下水NO3--N和TN浓度显著高于5、7和9月,地下水埋深也比5月和7月深。不同类型的井水N浓度差异较大:农田与庭院的井水NO3--N浓度显著高于村庄附近的井水,而NH4+-N和TN则表现为庭院井水浓度显著高于农田和村庄。地下水氮形态以NO3--N为主,全年17.1%的水井地下水NO3--N浓度高于10 mg.L-1,最高达184.4 mg.L-1。在灌溉量和其他生产条件相同的情况下,沙壕渠试验站农场内施肥区井水NO3--N浓度[(17.55±15.02)mg.L-1]明显高于未施肥区[(7.67±4.48)mg.L-1],且65.5%的水样NO3--N浓度超过WHO规定的生活饮用水NO3--N浓度上限值(10 mg.L-1),而未施肥区仅有27.6%的水样超标。井水NO3--N的来源主要为农田氮肥与动物粪肥,当地地下水NO3--N污染已不容忽视。     

广州及周边地区森林土壤As、Se、Hg质量分数特征及污染评价

研究了广州及周边地区5处代表性森林土壤（鼎湖山、西樵山、华南植物园、黄埔和南昆山）As、Se、Hg质量分数特征及污染状况。结果表明,上述5地森林表层土壤As质量分数平均值分别为18.6、18.0、12.2、11.4、26.1 mg.kg-1,Se质量分数平均值分别为0.360、0.729、0.286、0.421、0.434 mg.kg-1,Hg质量分数平均值分别为0.201、0.270、0.139、0.224、0.087 mg.kg-1。除植物园土壤Se质量分数、南昆山土壤Hg质量分数较接近背景值外,5林地As、Se、Hg质量分数均超过背景值,可能存在外源As、Se、Hg输入。其中,南昆山As输入,西樵山Se、Hg输入,黄埔、鼎湖山Hg输入较明显。单因子污染指数分析结果表明在南昆山As为最严重的污染物,而在鼎湖山、植物园、西樵山和黄埔Hg为最严重的污染物。综合污染指数分析结果表明5林地土壤均受到不同程度的污染,其中西樵山土壤属重度污染,南昆山、黄埔、鼎湖山属中度污染,植物园污染较轻,属轻度污染。     

Influence of groundwater recharge and well characteristics on dissolved arsenic concentrations in southeastern Michigan groundwater

Arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/l, the United States maximum contaminant level and the World Health Organization guideline value, are frequently reported in groundwater from bedrock and unconsolidated aquifers of southeastern Michigan. Although arsenic-bearing minerals (including arsenian pyrite and oxide/hydroxide phases) have been identified in Marshall Sandstone bedrock of the Mississippian aquifer system and in tills of the unconsolidated aquifer system, mechanisms responsible for arsenic mobilization and subsequent transport in groundwater are equivocal. Recent evidence has begun to suggest that groundwater recharge and characteristics of well construction may affect arsenic mobilization and transport. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between dissolved arsenic concentrations, reported groundwater recharge rates, well construction characteristics, and geology in unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers. Results of multiple linear regression analyses indicate that arsenic contamination is more prevalent in bedrock wells that are cased in proximity to the bedrock-unconsolidated interface; no other factors were associated with arsenic contamination in water drawn from bedrock or unconsolidated aquifers. Conditions appropriate for arsenic mobilization may be found along the bedrock-unconsolidated interface, including changes in reduction/oxidation potential and enhanced biogeochemical activity because of differences between geologic strata. These results are valuable for understanding arsenic mobilization and guiding well construction practices in southeastern Michigan, and may also provide insights for other regions faced with groundwater arsenic contamination.     

废弃日用品塑料中多溴联苯醚浸出特征及地下水健康风险

选择典型废弃日用品塑料,对特征处置场景下其PBDEs的浸出特征及健康风险进行了评价.结果表明,日用品塑料在硫酸/硝酸、醋酸和腐殖酸溶液中达到溶出平衡时,∑21PBDEs释放量分别为20.00、63.65、125.60μg·kg-1,均以BDE209为主.进入生活垃圾填埋场的释放量高于堆存和简易填埋过程,在最不利条件下距填埋场下游500 m处地下水中PBDEs最大浓度为39.67μg·L-1,居民饮用地下水产生的非致癌风险指数为2.11×10-1,其中十溴代物(BDE209)的非致癌风险指数为1.85×10-1,均小于美国标准中非致癌的可接受风险水平(1.0),表明废旧日用品塑料可进入生活垃圾填埋场处置.     

Human health risk assessment of lead pollution in atmospheric deposition in Baoshan District,Shanghai

The lead (Pb) content in atmospheric deposition was determined at 42 sampling sites in Baoshan District of Shanghai, China. Based on exposure and dose–response assessments, the health risk caused by Pb exposure in atmospheric deposition was investigated. The results indicated that Pb was significantly accumulated in atmospheric deposition. The spatial distribution of Pb was mapped by geostatistical analysis, and the results showed that pollution hotspots were present at traffic and industrial zones. Ingestion was the main route of Pb exposure in both adults and children. For children the risk value was above 1, whereas it was below 1 for the adult group. Therefore, children belong to the high-risk group for Pb exposure from atmospheric deposition in the observed area of Shanghai, China.