Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, IIT (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand, 826004, India.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Jan;30(3):7752-7769. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-22638-0. Epub 2022 Aug 31.
The present study aimed to evaluate the potential toxic heavy metal (PTHM) concentrations and associated ecological and health risk of nearby inhabitants (child and adult populations) of the Bokaro thermal power station (BTPS), Jharkhand, India. The fly ash containing PTHMs is released from the thermal power plant and contaminates the soil of the nearby agricultural area, roadside area and residential area. Furthermore, PTHMs cause ecological risk as well as carcinogenic health effects in adults. Inhabitants are exposed to PTHMs through exposure pathways (for instance, direct ingestion, dermal contact and air inhalation), and PTHMs were examined in this study by calculating the estimated daily intake (EDI). The contamination factor (C) of Cd exceeded the threshold value throughout the study area, whereas the C of Hg was observed higher only in roadside soil (RSS). The geoaccumulation index (I) of Cd was higher in the top soil of agricultural soil (AS) (7.39) and RSS (9.38). The level of PTHMs was monitored slightly higher in the topsoil of RSS. The ecological risk index (Eri) was detected to be the highest in RSS (1628.9). The permissible limit of Cd (0.05 mg kg) and Pb (0.1 mg kg) for all sampled vegetables and grain crops was surpassed. The transfer factor (TF) of the studied vegetables and grain crops was in the order of Cd > Cr > Pb > Hg > As. The results of the present study concluded that the hazard quotient (HQ) values for all PTHMs analysed in soil throughout the study area were < 1, which indicates that the child population was within the safe limit. However, the adult population was at a high risk of non-carcinogenic health effects due to increased permissible limits of Cd, Pb and Cr in vegetables and grain crops whereas the target carcinogenic risk (TCR) of Pb and Cr was higher and indicated that there may be a health risk of cancer in adults.
本研究旨在评估印度恰尔肯德邦博卡罗火力发电站（BTPS）附近居民（儿童和成年居民）所受潜在有毒重金属（PTHM）浓度的影响及其生态和健康风险。含有 PTHM 的飞灰从火力发电厂释放出来，污染了附近农业区、路边区和居民区的土壤。此外，PTHM 还会对成年人造成生态风险和致癌健康影响。居民通过暴露途径（例如直接摄入、皮肤接触和空气吸入）接触 PTHM，本研究通过计算估计每日摄入量（EDI）来检测 PTHM。在整个研究区域，Cd 的污染系数（C）均超过了阈值，而仅在路边土壤（RSS）中观察到 Hg 的 C 较高。在农业土壤（AS）（7.39）和 RSS（9.38）的表土中，Cd 的地积累指数（I）较高。RSS 表土中 PTHM 水平略高。在 RSS 中检测到的生态风险指数（Eri）最高（1628.9）。所有采样蔬菜和粮食作物中 Cd（0.05mg/kg）和 Pb（0.1mg/kg）的允许限量均超标。所研究蔬菜和粮食作物的转移系数（TF）顺序为 Cd＞Cr＞Pb＞Hg＞As。本研究的结果表明，在整个研究区域土壤中分析的所有 PTHM 的危害商（HQ）值均＜1，这表明儿童群体处于安全范围内。然而，由于蔬菜和粮食作物中 Cd、Pb 和 Cr 的允许限量增加，成年人群面临着较高的非致癌健康影响风险，而 Pb 和 Cr 的目标致癌风险（TCR）较高，表明成年人群可能存在癌症健康风险。
