Sultana Zakia, Rehman Muhammad Yasir Abdur, Khan Hudda Khaleeq, Malik Riffat Naseem
Environmental Health Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Environ Geochem Health. 2023 May;45(5):1617-1633. doi: 10.1007/s10653-022-01285-x. Epub 2022 May 13.
Heavy metals exposure through dust emissions pose a health risk to workers in coal and chromite mines. The processes involved in mining are noteworthy for the generation of heavy metal-contaminated dust which causes human health implications, especially to the workers that are mainly exposed to such toxins. This study determined pollution levels in coal and chromite mines and calculated the health risk of workers being exposed to heavy metal-contaminated dust. We used fractioned dust with particle sizes < 75, 75-106, and 107-150 µm to assess the pollution levels, anthropogenic impacts, geo-accumulation index, and enrichment factor for selected coal and chromite mines. Through a probabilistic approach, Monte Carlo simulations were used to determine health risks. The findings revealed that the smallest size dust fraction (< 75 μm) contained the highest metal concentrations. Ingestion was considered a prominent exposure route contributing to health risk. In the dust fraction (< 75 μm), chromite mines exhibited the highest Cr (340.6 mg/kg) and lowest Cd (8.4 mg/kg) concentrations. In coal mines, Mn (284.9 mg/kg) and Cd (2.1 mg/kg) were measured highest and lowest, respectively. Pollution assessment revealed dust to be moderately polluted. Health risk assessment showed that Cr in chromite mines exhibited a mean HI value of 1.16E + 00 that was higher than the safe level (HI > 1) having the potential to cause significant health risk to workers. In coal mines, the estimated total HI was 6E-1. Sensitivity analysis revealed concentration and exposure time to be the most influential parameters contributing to risk. Therefore, governmental and nongovernmental organizations must develop dust pollution control guidelines and mitigation measures to safeguard the health of mineworkers by limiting heavy metal exposure.
通过粉尘排放接触重金属对煤矿和铬铁矿的工人构成健康风险。采矿过程中产生的重金属污染粉尘值得关注，因为它会对人体健康产生影响，尤其是对主要接触此类毒素的工人。本研究确定了煤矿和铬铁矿的污染水平，并计算了工人接触重金属污染粉尘的健康风险。我们使用粒径小于75、75 - 106和107 - 150微米的分级粉尘来评估选定煤矿和铬铁矿的污染水平、人为影响、地累积指数和富集因子。通过概率方法，使用蒙特卡洛模拟来确定健康风险。研究结果表明，最小粒径的粉尘部分（<75微米）金属浓度最高。摄入被认为是导致健康风险的主要暴露途径。在粉尘部分（<75微米）中，铬铁矿中铬的浓度最高（340.6毫克/千克），镉的浓度最低（8.4毫克/千克）。在煤矿中，锰（284.9毫克/千克）和镉（2.1毫克/千克）的测量浓度分别最高和最低。污染评估表明粉尘受到中度污染。健康风险评估表明，铬铁矿中的铬平均危害商值为1.16E + 00，高于安全水平（危害商值>1），有可能对工人造成重大健康风险。在煤矿中，估计的总危害商值为6E - 1。敏感性分析表明，浓度和暴露时间是导致风险的最具影响力的参数。因此，政府和非政府组织必须制定粉尘污染控制指南和缓解措施，通过限制重金属暴露来保障矿工的健康。
