EVALUATION OF DAILY INTAKE DOSE AND CARCINOGENIC RISK FROM Pb, As AND Cd EMISSIONS IN FLY ASH, BOTTOM ASH OF SOME WASTE INCINERATORS

Abstract

In this study, the concentrations of Pb, As, and Cd in 15 fly ash and bottom ash samples collected at five solid waste incinerators in the northern provinces of Vietnam were determined by ICP-MS. From the content of metals, the study evaluated the daily absorbed dose of metals through oral, respiratory and skin contact for workers working directly at incinerators. The results show that, daily intake dose values for all 3 metals Pb, Cd, and As: ingestion (99.6%) > and dermal contact (0.39%) > inhalation  (0.01%). The non-carcinogenic risk (as measured by the HI index) shows a negligible risk for Pb, As in the waste incinerator. However, the HI value for Cd is 1.5 times the allowable value (1), which indicates a relatively high level of risk for this element. The study also evaluated the lifetime cancer risk for workers, it was arranged in the order: As > Cd > Pb and CR(inh) > CR(ing) ~ CR(dermal). In gereral, there was no health risk to workers in the studied incinerator.