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Human health risk assessment of arsenic in a region influenced by a large coal-fired power plant

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Abstract

Previous studies in the largest coal mining region of Brazil showed the strong influence of the coal-fired power plant in spatial distribution of As, especially in prevailing wind direction. However, it was not evaluated the risk of As on the local population. Thus, this study aims to assess the human health risk of As in a region under influence of atmospheric deposition of As from the coal-fired power plant. The human health risk assessment model was based on established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). It estimate the average daily dose (ADD), non-carcinogenic (HQ) and carcinogenic risk by in oral, dermal and inhalation exposure routes, as well as, the contribution of each via to ADD, HQ and carcinogenic risk to soil and air. Separately, both air and soil exposure pathways show HQ and HI below the risk threshold (< 1). However, when considerate the sum of both exposure pathways in the worst scenario of As contamination in air (maximum concentrations) there are a carcinogenic risk in the most of evaluated areas, including in a control area. The maximum values of As in PM10 contribute to health risk by air inhalation pathway (1.45 µg/m3). Inhalation pathway presents the major contribution to ADDair and ADDtotal. However, oral and dermal routes were more important to ADDsoil. The study reveals that there is a carcinogenic risk for exposure to As at a distance of almost 10 km from the coal-fired power plant.

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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the CAPES for providing doctoral scholarships (LM, MS and PFR) and express their gratitude to the subjects who provided critical information for this study.

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Avenida Itália, km 8 Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 96203-900, Brazil

    L. Müller, P. F. Ramires, M. dos Santos, J. V. Lima, A. L. Muccillo-Baisch & F. M. R. da Silva Júnior

  2. Programa de Pós Graduação Em Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Itália, km 8 Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, CEP 96203-900, Brazil

    L. Müller & J. V. Lima

  3. Programa de Pós Graduação Em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina (FAMED), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG, Rio Grande Do Sul, Rua Visconde de Paranaguá, 102, Centro, Rio Grande, CEP 96203-900, Brazil

    P. F. Ramires, M. dos Santos, A. L. Muccillo-Baisch & F. M. R. da Silva Júnior

  4. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Campus de Cachoeira do Sul, Rodovia Taufik Germano, 3013, Passo D’Areia, Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 96503-205, Brazil

    M. V. Coronas

  5. Escola de Química E Alimentos, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande - FURG, Avenida Itália, km 8 Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 96203-900, Brazil

    D. Dias

  6. Laboratório de Oceanografia Geológica, Instituto de Oceanografia (IO), Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande - FURG, Avenida Itália, km 8 Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 96203-900, Brazil

    P. R. M. Baisch

Authors
  1. L. Müller
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  2. P. F. Ramires
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  3. M. dos Santos
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  4. M. V. Coronas
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  5. J. V. Lima
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  6. D. Dias
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  7. A. L. Muccillo-Baisch
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  8. P. R. M. Baisch
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  9. F. M. R. da Silva Júnior
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Contributions

LM, PFR and MS were responsible for data analysis and writing the manuscript. MVC, JVL and DD were co-responsible for the design of the experimental design and choice of the analyzed variables. PRMB and ALMB were responsible for the quantification of arsenic in soil and atmospheric particulate material. FMRSJ supervised the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to F. M. R. da Silva Júnior.

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Editorial responsibility: Shahid Hussain.

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Müller, L., Ramires, P.F., dos Santos, M. et al. Human health risk assessment of arsenic in a region influenced by a large coal-fired power plant. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 19, 281–288 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03167-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03167-8

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