Dispersion modeling and health risk assessment of VOCs emissions from municipal solid waste transfer station in Tehran, Iran

Abstract

BackgroundThe waste transfer stations (WTSs) is one of the most important factors affecting on environment and human health. This research is aimed to evaluate health risk of VOCs among WTS personnel and provide a model for dispersion of VOCs. The Air Pollution Model (TAPM) is able to simulate WTS emissions dispersion over each town.ResultGC-MS was used to analysis collected gas samples to detect and estimate carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic VOCs health risks. The total lifetime cancer risk values for the all personnel (3.30E-05), was more than acceptable limit (1.00E-06). Furthermore, hazard ratio (HR) of 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, 1,3-dichloropropane, toluene, m,p-xylene and ethylbenzene were 3.7, 1.9 E-01, 4.4 E-03, 5.5 E-02 and 1.5 E-03, respectively, and total HR of the mentioned compounds were more than accepted limit (HR < 1.00). IOA is 0.85 and RMSE is 2.16 and TAPM has a good performance. The VOCs level is considerable in 1600 m far from the WTS particularly in summer that require more attention.ConclusionThe exposure to VOCs was at a high level in WTS, and some controlling strategy should be used for decreasing the pollution and protecting the citizens and personnel against non-cancerous and cancerous risks.

Suitable site selection for transfer stations in a solid waste management system using analytical hierarchy process as a multi-criteria decision analysis: a case study in Azuay-Ecuador

“…Volatile organic compounds in a TS could have potentially severe and chronic health risks (J. Liu & Zheng, 2020;Sarkhosh et al, 2017). All environmental criteria are evaluated in a way to prioritize the furthest areas from them.…”

An Introduction to Atmospheric Pollutant Dispersion Modelling

“…Recent applications of TAPM include use in a complex, mountainous terrain [53], modelling of heavy metal deposition around a copper smelter [56] and evaluation of health risks resulting from VOC emissions from municipal waste [57].…”

Proinflammatory effects of dust storm and thermal inversion particulate matter (PM10) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in vitro: a comparative approach and analysis

“…Tehran, the capital and most populated city of Iran, is located in a relatively limited area of the Alborz mountains in UTM (35°34-35°50′ N and 51°08-51°37′ E). The city is expanded in a total area of 730 km 2 with around 9 million dwellers frequently facing metropolitan air pollution and dust storm events [46]. PM 10 samples were collected simultaneously at two stations.…”