Human exposure to dioxins and furans: application of the substance flow analysis to health risk assessment.
Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) is an important instrument that allows for the undertaking of environmental management for a specific contaminant. 'Control Analysis' is a tool that assesses the effect on a target flow of changes in flows forming part of a control basis set. The purpose of the present study was to perform a modeling of the annual PCDD/F flows in Tarragona Province and to apply the model for human health risk assessment. The validation of the model has been evaluated by comparing estimated fluxes with experimental values. Eleven subsystems, as well as a set of 88 flows of the system in Tarragona Province were considered. The total PCDD/F accumulation in Tarragona Province was between 62.6 and 159.5 g I-TEQ/y. Accumulation in sediments (27.9-74.6 g I-TEQ/y) and soils (35.0-80.8 g I-TEQ/y) are the two principal modes of deposition. Estimated flow in human adipose tissue means a mean intake of PCDD/F (via ingestion and inhalation) of 243 pg I-TEQ/person/day. The food chain pathway accounts for 99% of the total daily intake. As a result of the simulation, a 100% decrease in industrial emissions would cause a 1.7% reduction in the PCDD/F accumulation in humans. In turn, a 100% reduction of PCDD/Fs in the industrial waste waters would cause only an insignificant 0.1% decrease in the accumulation of PCDD/Fs in humans.
Fuster
Gerard
G
Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain.
Schuhmacher
Marta
M
Domingo
José L
JL
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D020387:Food Chain; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D011634:Public Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D001572:Benzofurans; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins