Long-term study of environmental levels of dioxins and furans in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator.
From 1975 to 2004, a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) was operating in Montcada (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain). Because of the potential health risks derived from emission of pollutants by the facility, especially polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), a long-term monitoring program focused on measuring the environmental levels of PCDD/Fs near the facility, and to assess the health risks for the population living in the neighborhood, was established between 1996 and 2002. A total number of 111 soil and 121 herbage samples were analyzed for PCDD/Fs during this period. Human health risks for the individuals living near the MSWI (500 and 1,000 m) were also assessed before (1998) and after modernization (2000) of the facility. It included PCDD/F inhalation, dermal contact, soil and dust ingestion, and food intake. All these data are here summarized. The environmental levels of PCDD/Fs showed that the MSWI was not the main responsible of the atmospheric pollution by these compounds. In turn, human health risks for the population living in the vicinity of the facility after introduction of a modern technology were negligible in comparison with the dietary PCDD/F exposure.
Schuhmacher
Marta
M
Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, "Rovira i Virgili" University, San Lorenzo 21, 43201 Reus, Spain.
Domingo
José L
JL
D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012989:Soil Pollutants