Long-term monitoring of dioxins and furans near a municipal solid waste incinerator: human health risks

Abstract

Since 1996, a wide surveillance programme has been developed to get overall information on the impact of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) have been periodically measured in soil and vegetation samples collected at locations in the incinerator surroundings. Furthermore, air PCDD/F levels have been also monitored by using active and passive sampling devices, generating a huge amount of information regarding the environmental status of the zone. In the last survey (2009–2010), mean PCDD/F levels in vegetation, soil and air were 0.06 ng I-TEQ kg−1, 0.58 ng I-TEQ kg−1 and 10.5 fg WHO-TEQ m−3, respectively. Both soil and herbage showed a notable reduction in the PCDD/F concentrations in comparison with the baseline study, with this decrease only being significant for soils. In contrast, PCDD/F values in air remained similar during the whole assessment period. Human exposure to PCDD/Fs was evaluated under different scenarios, and the associated non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were assessed. The hazard quotient was below unity in all cases, while cancer risks were under 10−6, which is lower than the maximum recommended guidelines. The current results clearly show that the MSWI of Tarragona does not produce additional health risks for the population living nearby.