Emergy evaluation of human health losses for water environmental pollution

Abstract

Water pollution in China has not only become one of the most vital factors impeding the social-economic development but also threatening people's health. In this study, Kaifeng was considered as an example, and the human health risk of drinking water pathway from 2010 to 2017 was evaluated on the basis of drinking water hygiene standards and the human health risk assessment model (HHRA). Besides, the human health loss caused by water pollution was quantitatively evaluated through an emergy theory and analysis method. The results showed that the carcinogenic annual risk of carcinogenic pollutants ranged from 2.0 × 10−5 to 6.5 × 10−5, and the average health risk of non-carcinogenic pollutants was about 1.5 × 10−8, but the difference between different pollutants was obvious. Affected by water quality, social-economic development, Medicare, etc., the value of human health loss ranked at the top in 2016 with 8.73 × 1018 sej, equivalent to 9.33 million RMB, while in other years, it was around 6 × 1018 sej. It is indicated that among the factors, water quality is the direct inducement of healthy loss, the socio-economic development is the leading force effecting the value, and the Medicare is the final determinant of the public burden.

Quantitative Analysis of the Driving Factors of Water Quality Variations in the Minjiang River in Southwestern China

“…The water quality of rivers is impacted by both meteorological factors and anthropogenic factors [4,5]. Establishing relationships between driving factors and water quality indices is fundamental for distinguishing and quantifying the impacts from anthropogenic factors versus meteorological factors within basin-scale river systems [6,7].…”

Air Pollutants Removal Using Biofiltration Technique: A Challenge at the Frontiers of Sustainable Environment

“…Many of the pollutants are carcinogenic, causing cancer and tumors, deteriorating human health and the environment. Many techniques are used to eliminate air pollutants like chemicals and microfilters, but they are costly and require maintenance. − Biofiltration is the alternative technique, which can be used to remove air pollutants emitted mainly from organic product-based companies, for example, paint industries, pharmaceutical industries, and also by vehicles, municipal sources, substance adjustment landfill-related procedures, delivering plants, synthetic assembling processes, shops that print, flavors and scents, espresso and cocoa broiling, sewage treatment (smell evacuation), covering processes, fertilizing the soil, food handling, animals ranches, and foundries. − Paint application and manufacturing companies utilize solvents which are the major, about 60%, pollutant generator. It is economical to remove pollutants and requires less maintenance. − …”