Risk of exposure to metals in soil contaminated by steel industry waste for a population in Volta Redonda, RJ

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the risk of population’s exposure, by different exposure routes, to Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, and Pb in the soil of a condominium. Six sampling points in three campaigns provided thirty-six soil samples, collected at two depths, one superficial, 0.20 m, and the other underground, between 2.00 and 3.00 m. The results show that the levels of metals in the condominium's soil are generally high. Children cannot withstand the same doses as adults since they are more susceptible and risk greater damage to health. The non-carcinogenic risk based on the hazard quotient (HQ) and the health index (HI) values for each exposure pathway and for each metal were observed to be less than (<) 1. The results showed an immediate carcinogenic risk by chromium ingestion for children. Nevertheless the combined effect for each exposure pathway (TCRI) for adults is close to becoming unacceptable after exposure to Cr by ingestion. The results suggest that contamination by metals is more likely to occur among children than adults at similar exposure levels. Thus, the condominium built on an area contaminated by steel industry waste raises concern, requiring the continuous monitoring of its population.

Chronic Cadmium Exposure and Genetic Polymorphisms of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in a Population Exposed to Steel Slag in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…This is worrisome since many condominium residents were over 50 years old and had already been exposed for more than 15 years of living on top of industrial waste. Besides that, the 30-m pile of steel waste near the condominium also contains residuals of other metals, characterizing a multiple exposure in which adverse effects are unknown [ 3 , 29 ].…”

“…Socio-demographic, environmental, and clinical information of the residents were taken from different questionnaires and validated by professionals from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz [ 3 ]. The clinical evaluation was performed by proper trained professionals, according to the Primary Healthcare Center routine protocols, and blood ( n = 231) and urine ( n = 203) samples were collected.…”

“…Cadmium (Cd) is widely used in industrial activities such as ore refining, smelting, metal plating and coating, and battery production, and is improperly released into the environment as particulate matter and fumes due to its volatilization capacity [ 1 ]. The solid waste generated in the process of steelmaking contains a wide variety of hazardous chemicals, including Cd and other metals, which can undergo toxicological interactions, triggering different effects from those induced by Cd exposure alone and posing a risk to the environment and the health of populations living nearby [ 2 , 3 ]. Cd is a toxic metal, and this exposure is a global public health concern that has been shown to exert acute health effects on kidneys, bones, and the nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.…”

“…Currently, the pile of steel waste reaches around 30 m in height. Furthermore, the condominium is located in a high-risk area, since levels of metals like zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) are also high, which reveals the extreme vulnerability of this population and the need for constant environmental monitoring [ 3 ].…”

Influence of Environmental Exposure to Steel Waste on Endocrine Dysregulation and PER3 Gene Polymorphisms

“…Other materials include quartz and limestone for the production of blast furnace gas, pig iron, steel slag, dust, and mud. This process generates steel slag as waste, containing calcium and metals such as silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni) [ 7 , 8 ].…”