Contamination source apportionment and health risk assessment of heavy metals in soil around municipal solid waste incinerator: A case study in North China

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 631-632; pp. 348 - 357
• Main Authors: Ma, Wenchao, Tai, Lingyu, Qiao, Zhi, Zhong, Lei, Wang, Zhen, Fu, Kaixuan, Chen, Guanyi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.08.2018
• Subjects: Adult; Child; China; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Human health risk; Humans; Incineration; Land use; Male; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Multivariate Analysis; Municipal solid waste incinerator; Risk Assessment; Soil - chemistry; Soil heavy metal; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Source apportionment; Vegetables - chemistry; Human health risk; Municipal solid waste incinerator; Soil heavy metal; Source apportionment; Land use
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.011

Few studies have comprehensively taken into account the source apportionment and human health risk of soil heavy metals in the vicinity of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in high population density area. In this study, 8 elements (Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd, Hg, and As) in fly ash, soil samples from different functional areas and vegetables collected surrounding the MSWI in North China were determined. The single pollution index, integrated Nemerow pollution index, principal component analysis (PCA), absolute principle component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model and dose-response model were used in this study. The results showed that the soils around the MSWI were moderately polluted by Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg, and heavily polluted by As and Cd. MSWI had a significant influence on the distribution of soil heavy metals in different distances from MSWI. The source apportionment results showed that MSWI, natural source, industrial discharges and coal combustion were the four major potential sources for heavy metals in the soils, with the contributions of 36.08%, 29.57%, 10.07%, and 4.55%, respectively. MSWI had a major impact on Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, and Hg contamination in soil. The non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk posed by soil heavy metals surrounding the MSWI were unacceptable. The soil heavy metals concentrations and health risks in different functional areas were distinct. MSWI was the predominate source of non-carcinogenic risk with the average contribution rate of 36.99% and carcinogenic risk to adult male, adult female and children with 4.23×10−4, 4.57×10−4, and 1.41×10−4 respectively, implying that the impact of MSWI on human health was apparent. This study provided a new insight for the source apportionment and health risk assessment of soil heavy metals in the vicinity of MSWI. [Display omitted] •Soils around the MSWI were moderately polluted by Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg, and heavily polluted by As and Cd.•MSWI significantly contributed 36.08% to the soil heavy metal contamination.•Sources contribution to human health risk was firstly studied by APCS-MLR and dose-response model jointly.•MSWI had a significant influence on human health risks mainly through Pb and Ni emissions.