title: Human exposure to environmental pollutants after a tire landfill fire in Spain: Health risks.
abstract: In May 2016, a fire occurred in one of the largest landfills in Europe (Seseña, Toledo, Spain), where 70,000-90,000tons of tires had been illegally accumulated for >15years. Because of the proximity of population nuclei and the duration of the episode (>20days), we conducted a preliminary human health risk assessment study just after the tire fire. Samples of air and soil were collected in 3 areas surrounding the landfill (El Quiñón, at only 500m, and Seseña Nuevo and Seseña Viejo, both at 4km), as well as in background sites. In addition, samples of crops (barley, wheat, cabbage and lettuce) were also obtained from local farmers. The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and a number of trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Tl, and V) were analyzed in all the samples. The concentrations of all the target pollutants, excepting PAHs, were relatively similar at the different sampling zones, irrespective of the distance to the landfill. In turn, a significant increase of PAHs was noted near the tire landfill, with air levels up to 6-times higher than those found at 4km (134 vs. 19.5-22.7ng/m3). Similarly, PAH concentrations in lettuce were relatively higher than those typically found in monitoring programs of food safety. Because of the increase of airborne PAHs, cancer risks due to exposure to environmental pollutants for the population living at El Quiñón, near the landfill, were between 3- and 5-times higher than those estimated for the inhabitants of Seseña. After this preliminary study, further investigations, focused only on PAHs, but more extensive in terms of number of samples, should be conducted to assure that PAHs have been progressively degraded through time.
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
authors: Martí
authors: M
authors: Nadal
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors: Joaquim
authors: J
authors: Rovira
authors: IQS, Analytical and Applied Chemistry Department, Univ. Ramon Llull, Via Augusta 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Díaz-Ferrero
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Schuhmacher
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: joseluis.domingo@urv.cat.
authors: José L
authors: JL
authors: Domingo
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D005390:Fires; D006256:Hazardous Waste / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D013030:Spain; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D064091:Waste Disposal Facilities
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Cancer risks; Human exposure; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Seseña, Spain; Tire landfill fire