A Pilot Survey of Potentially Hazardous Trace Elements in the Aquatic Environment Near a Coastal Coal-Fired Power Plant in Taiwan

Abstract

Background: A limited number of potentially hazardous trace elements were quantified in the aquatic environment near the world’s second largest coal-fired power plant (CFPP) and the coal combustion residual (CCR) disposition sites in Central Taiwan. We postulated that contamination from specific trace elements would be present in the abovementioned aquatic environments. Methods: Cross-sectional sampling of trace elements was first performed between September 24, 2017 and October 3, 2017 outside the CFPP, in the effluent sampled from Changhua, a county south of metropolitan Taichung, and at the historical CCR disposal sites, using the intertidal zone surface seawater and the seawater in an oyster farm as controls. Aqueous samples were collected from 12 locations for analysis of 13 trace elements (Al, As, B, Cd, total Cr, Co, Fe, Pb, Mn, Se, Sr, Tl, and V). We used inductively coupled plasma (ICP) optical emission spectrometry to determine B and Fe levels, and ICP mass spectrometry for all other trace elements. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rho) was calculated to examine the pairwise relation among the trace elements. Results: Al (50% of all samples), B (66.7%), Fe (25%), Mn (50%), Sr (8.3%), and V (25%) were identified as being above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation limit. The oyster farm seawater had no concerns. Mn (96.4 μg/L) in the CFPP drainage effluent was 1.9-fold above the regulation limit. Fe, Mn, and V were detected from the cooling channel at 4379, 625, and 11.3 μg/L, respectively. The effluent and water from the areas surrounding the 2 CCR dump sites revealed similar magnitudes of trace element contamination. B is highly correlated with Sr (Rho = 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-0.98). Meanwhile, Fe is highly correlated with Al (Rho = 0.77), Pb (Rho = 0.71), Co (Rho = 0.75), and V (Rho = 0.84). Conclusions: The EPA must set an explicit regulation limit for aluminum, boron, iron, and strontium in the aquatic environment. This exploratory research will inform policymaking regarding certain trace elements that could potentially have an adverse impact on public health and wildlife.

Heavy Metal Pollution and Ecological Risk Assessment in Soils Adjacent to Electrical Generators in Ramadi City, Iraq

“…Weathering of Cd-rich rocks increases soil Cd content [30]. High concentrations of Cd were recorded in soils around power plants that use fossil fuel of various types as energy sources [5,11]. The source of Cd in diesel fuel is likely from fuel and engine wear [31].…”

“…Coal and fuel combustion releases fly ash, particulate matter, and potentially dangerous heavy metals, which have harmful effects on humans and wildlife [4]. Currently, the predominant emitters of mercury, acid gases, and many toxic metals in the United States are power plants [5]. Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) show that 62% of As, 28% of Ni, 50% of Hg, 22% of Cr, 13% of NO x , and 60% of SO 2 , that are toxic air pollutants, come from power plants [6].…”

“…Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) show that 62% of As, 28% of Ni, 50% of Hg, 22% of Cr, 13% of NO x , and 60% of SO 2 , that are toxic air pollutants, come from power plants [6]. Many researchers investigated emissions of heavy metals from thermal power plants and diesel engine generators and assessed their risks to human health and environment, along with their ecological risks on soil and water [5,[7][8][9][10][11]. The heavy metals are transported from the soil, accumulated in the plant tissues, and then consumed by humans.…”

Chromium, Cadmium, Lead, and Arsenic Concentrations in Water, Vegetables, and Seafood Consumed in a Coastal Area in Northern Vietnam

“…For example, the findings from Table 1 show that in surface water, Cr was detected at the highest concentration, followed by As, and then, Pb and Cd are similar to recent results in Taiwan, which was conducted in surface water in environment near a coastal coal-fired power plant. 28 Like surface water, in well water, Cr was detected as the highest concentration and Cd was detected at the lowest concentration. However, the concentration of Pd in well water was higher than the concentration of As.…”

Respiratory Health in Adults Residing Near a Coal-Burning Power Plant with Coal Ash Storage Facilities: A Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Study

“…Coal combustion residuals (CCR), the byproduct of coal combustion, consist of small particles that contain naturally occurring radioactive materials, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and a variety of heavy metals, including aluminum, arsenic, iron, lead, and mercury [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. In 2017, the United States produced nearly 111 million tons of CCR, more commonly known as coal ash [13].…”