Source Apportionment and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Eastern Guangdong Municipal Solid Waste

Abstract

This research focused on the contents of the five most bio-toxic heavy metals, As, Cd, Hg, Cr, and Pb of 26 municipal solid waste (MSW) samples from the Eastern Guangdong Area. To investigate the apportion of the heavy metal source, Pearson correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) were introduced as major approaches. The health risks posed to MSW workers exposed to heavy metals in MSW were assessed using a Monte Carlo simulation combined with the US Environmental Protection Agency Health Risk Assessment Model. The As, Cd, Hg, Cr, and Pb contents of the east Guangdong MSW were (0.76 ± 0.75), (2.14 ± 4.44), (0.11 ± 0.14), (55.42 ± 31.88), and (30.67 ± 20.58) mg/kg, respectively. Hg, Cr, and Pb were potentially derived from glass, textile, food waste, and white plastic, while As and Cd were mainly derived from soil and food waste in the MSW. The non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metal in MSW exposure to MSW workers could be ignored. However, the heavy metals in MSW might pose carcinogenic risks, with the probabilities for male and female workers being 35% and 45%, respectively. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk indices were slightly higher for female workers under the same exposure situations.

Reduction of Outdoor and Indoor PM2.5 Source Contributions via Portable Air Filtration Systems in a Senior Residential Facility in Detroit, Michigan

“…The fourth source was identified as sewage/municipal incineration based on high concentrations of Cd, Pb, and As. Pb emissions from waste incineration have been extensively studied [ 42 , 43 , 44 ], and high As levels can be related to anthropogenic waste and industrial activities such as sewage sludge incineration [ 45 , 46 ]. Prior studies have reported that refuse incineration is a major source of atmospheric Cd [ 47 , 48 ].…”

Investigation of dermal exposure to heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Al, Fe and Pb) in traditional batik industry workers

“…However, the HI value in this study did not indicate a long-term and comprehensive risk, meaning that heavy metal exposure does not only expose workers through the skin route, workers can be exposed to heavy metals through other routes such as inhalation or ingestion. The occupational risk stems from different exposure pathways for heavy metals namely through hand-mouth ingestion, dermal absorption and air inhalation, where the HI of hand-mouth ingestion is 5–6 and 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than skin absorption and air inhalation respectively [ 35 ]. If exposure occurs over a long period of time, heavy metal compounds can bioaccumulate in the body and can cause adverse health effects.…”

Innovative Approaches for Drinking- and Waste-Water Treatment: An Editorial Review Summarizing and Assessing the Findings of the Special Issue

“…With respect to uranium removal, the review highlighted the use of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 composite particles, as well as off several novel graphene modified composite materials, such as Three-Dimensional Layered Double Hydroxide-Graphene Hybrid Material (rGO/LDH), Novel Graphene Oxide-Activated Carbon Felt Composite (GO-ACF), Graphene Oxide and Its Amine-Functionalized Composite (GO-NH 2 ) which showed promising results with reported adsorption capacities as high as 278, 298 and 215 mg/g, which are very good results when compared to conventional adsorbents such as iron oxides [21], which show capacities between 100 and 135 mg/g. The next paper [7] focused on the contents of the five most bio-toxic heavy metals, As, Cd, Hg, Cr, and Pb in samples from 26 municipal solid waste (MSW) from the Eastern Guangdong Area. Pearson correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) were introduced as major approaches and health risks posed to MSW workers exposed to heavy metals in MSW were assessed using a Monte Carlo simulation combined with the US Environmental Protection Agency Health Risk Assessment Model.…”

“…The published papers can be classified into four major categories. (a) First, there are those that investigate the application of membrane treatment processes, either directly [1] (b) second, there are studies that investigate the application of adsorptive processes for the removal of contaminants from waters, such as arsenic, lead, nickel or chromate [2][3][4][5][6], but also assessed the health effects of their exposure to humans [7]. (c) third, there are studies that include novel aspects of oxidative treatment [8,9] and (d) fourth, studies that examine wastewater treatment efficiency, testing new type reactors [10], minimizing the sewage sludge [11] or energy minimization and conversion and in wastewater treatment facilities [12,13].…”