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

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.