1
|
Chakraborty P, Chandra S, Dimmen MV, Hurley R, Mohanty S, Bharat GK, Steindal EH, Olsen M, Nizzetto L. Interlinkage Between Persistent Organic Pollutants and Plastic in the Waste Management System of India: An Overview. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 109:927-936. [PMID: 35178580 PMCID: PMC8853888 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-022-03466-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Improper handling of plastic waste and related chemical pollution has garnered much attention in recent years owing to the associated detrimental impacts on human health and the environment. This article reports an overview of the main interlinkages between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and plastic in the waste management system of India. Both plastics and POPs share certain common traits such as persistence, resistance to biological degradation, and the ability to get transported over long distances. Throughout the processes of production, consumption, and disposal, plastics interact with and accumulate POPs through several mechanisms and end up co-existing in the environment. Plastic waste can undergo long-range transport through rivers and the oceans, break down into microplastics and get transported through the air, or remain locked in waste dump yards and landfills. Over time, environmental processes lead to the leaching and release of accumulated POPs from these plastic wastes. Plastic recycling in the Indian informal sector including smelting, scrubbing, and shredding of plastic waste, is also a potential major POPs source that demands further investigation. The presence of POPs in plastic waste and their fate in the plastic recycling process have not yet been elucidated. By enhancing our understanding of these processes, this paper may aid policy decisions to combat the release of POPs from different waste types and processes in India.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paromita Chakraborty
- Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kancheepuram district, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India.
| | - Sarath Chandra
- Department of Civil Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kancheepuram district, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | | | - Rachel Hurley
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway
| | - Smita Mohanty
- Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering Technology, CIPET, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | | | - Eirik Hovland Steindal
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway
- Department of International Environment and Development Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Marianne Olsen
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway
| | - Luca Nizzetto
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Etchie TO, Sivanesan S, Etchie AT, Krishnamurthi K, Adewuyi GO, George KV. Can the Indian national ambient air quality standard protect against the hazardous constituents of PM 2.5? CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 303:135047. [PMID: 35609663 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Globally, exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution claims ∼9 million lives, yearly, and a quarter of this deaths occurs in India. Regulation of PM2.5 pollution in India is based on compliance with its National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 40 μg/m3, which is eight times the revised global air quality guideline (AQG) of 5 μg/m3. But, whether the NAAQS provides adequate protection against the hazardous components in PM2.5 is still not clear. Here, we examined the risk to health associated with exposure to PM2.5-bound polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an Indian district averaging below the NAAQS. The annual average concentrations of PM2.5 mass, Σ28PCB and Σ13PAHs were 34 ± 17 μg/m3, 21 ± 12 ng/m3 and 458 ± 246 ng/m3, respectively. Concentrations of As, Cr, Mn and Ni in PM2.5 surpassed the screening levels for residential air. Substantial level of risks to health were associated with exposure to dioxin-like PCBs (Σ12dlPCB), PAHs, As, Cr and Ni. The hazard index or lifetime cancer risk were 240, or 9 cases per 1000 population, respectively. The estimated risks to health through exposure to hazardous components, except Ni, were greatest in rural areas, having a lower average PM2.5 concentration, than urban or peri-urban areas, suggesting higher toxicity potential of rural combustion sources. The large disparity between the estimated risk values and the acceptable risk level suggests that it would take a more stringent standard, such as the global AQG, to protect vulnerable populations in India from hazardous components in PM2.5.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kannan Krishnamurthi
- CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, India.
| | | | - K V George
- CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, India.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Assessment of Air Pollution with Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and Polychlorinated Dibenzofuranes (PCDFs) in Lithuania. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11070759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) are highly bioavailable in humans, either through direct inhalation or indirectly by trophic transfer from contaminated food or water. The main sources of pollution with PCDD/F include industrial and non-industrial combustion sources, like domestic contaminated wood burning, house fires, burning of leaves from trees, etc. When looking for alternative energy sources and reduced energy costs, solid waste incineration plants are intended to be built in the vicinity of urbanized areas, and thus, the need emerges for examination and prediction of to what extent the solid waste incineration plants might affect the surrounding ecosystem, air pollution, and human health. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) (or simply PCDD/F congeners) belong to the group of semi-volatile organic compounds with environmental stability and long-range transfer in the ambient air. Dioxin isomers are highly toxic and may have carcinogenic and mutagenic effects in humans. PCDD/F is detected in air, water, sediment, plants and animals. PCDD/F is generally distributed in the particulate phase in ambient air. For solid waste incineration plant emissions, the distribution of PCDD/F particles into particles with a diameter of <10 μm is more than 81% of the total particulate matter, and more than 54% of the PCDD/F is distributed into particles with a diameter of <2.5 μm. The aim of this study is to investigate the sources of PCDD/F, emissions and potential hazards, i.e., a toxic equivalent in Lithuania. The measurements were performed in two largest cities of Lithuania Vilnius and Kaunas, where the level of PCDD/F discovered was from 0.015 to 0.52 pg/m3 and from 0.02 to 0.05 pg/m3, respectively. The sites for the monitoring were selected based on their proximity to the locations of the planned cogeneration power plants in these cities.
Collapse
|
4
|
Vilavert L, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL. Two Decades of Environmental Surveillance in the Vicinity of a Waste Incinerator: Human Health Risks Associated with Metals and PCDD/Fs. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2015; 69:241-253. [PMID: 26054593 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-015-0168-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), as well as the levels of a number of heavy metals, have been periodically measured in samples of soil and vegetation collected around a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) for approximately 20 years. Since 2007, the levels of the above-mentioned pollutants have also been determined in air samples by means of either active or passive samplers. In the present study, data regarding the environmental impact of the MSWI, in terms of PCDD/Fs and heavy metals, are updated. The temporal trends of these pollutants were evaluated by comparison with data from previous surveys. In the current survey (2013-2014), mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs in soil, vegetation, and air were 0.63 ng I-TEQ/g, 0.07 ng I-TEQ/g, and 10.1 fg WHO-TEQ/m(3), respectively. Decreases of 47 and 35 % of PCDD/Fs in soil and vegetation, respectively, were observed in relation to the background study (1999). Regarding air samples, a slight temporal decrease of the PCDD/F levels was also found with the remaining concentrations staying nearly constant through time. With respect to metals, notable fluctuations in the concentrations were noted, being dependent on each specific environmental monitor. Overall, the current exposure to PCDD/Fs and metals does not mean any additional health risks for the population living near the facility. In conclusion, the results of the present study show that the environmental impact of the Tarragona MSWI is not significant, in terms of PCDD/Fs and heavy metals, after >20 years of continuous operation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lolita Vilavert
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sharma BM, Bharat GK, Tayal S, Nizzetto L, Larssen T. The legal framework to manage chemical pollution in India and the lesson from the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 490:733-47. [PMID: 24907609 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
India's rapid agro-economic growth has resulted into many environmental issues, especially related to chemical pollution. Environmental management and control of toxic chemicals have gained significant attention from policy makers, researchers, and enterprises in India. The present study reviews the policy and legal and non-regulatory schemes set in place in this country during the last decades to manage chemical risk and compares them with those in developed nations. India has a large and fragmented body of regulation to control and manage chemical pollution which appears to be ineffective in protecting environment and human health. The example of POPs contamination in India is proposed to support such a theory. Overlapping of jurisdictions and retrospectively approached environmental policy and risk management currently adopted in India are out of date and excluding Indian economy from the process of building and participating into new, environmentally-sustainable market spaces for chemical products. To address these issues, the introduction of a new integrated and scientifically-informed regulation and management scheme is recommended. Such scheme should acknowledge the principle of risk management rather than the current one based on risk acceptance. To this end, India should take advantage of the experience of recently introduced chemical management regulation in some developed nations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brij Mohan Sharma
- TERI University, 10 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, India.
| | - Girija K Bharat
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003, India
| | - Shresth Tayal
- TERI University, 10 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, India; The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003, India
| | - Luca Nizzetto
- Norwegian Institute for water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalleen 21, Oslo 0349, Norway; Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Brno 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Thorjørn Larssen
- Norwegian Institute for water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalleen 21, Oslo 0349, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Liu G, Liu W, Cai Z, Zheng M. Concentrations, profiles, and emission factors of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants in fly ash from coking processes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2013; 261:421-426. [PMID: 23973475 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2013.07.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2013] [Revised: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The coking process has been found to be an important source of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UP-POPs). However, the concentrations, profiles, and emission factors of UP-POPs in fly ash from coke plants have not been studied. In this study, six UP-POPs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), hexachlorobenzene (HxCBz), and pentachlorobenzene (PeCBz)) were identified and quantified in fly ash from eight coke plants. The average concentrations of the PCDDs, PCDFs, and "dioxin-like" PCBs were 1.5, 2.26, and 0.26 pg TEQ g(-1), respectively, and the average concentrations of the PCNs, HxCBz, and PeCBz were 256, 290, and 146 pg g(-1), respectively. The proportion each homolog contributed to the total concentration of the PCDFs, PCBs, and PCNs decreased with increasing chlorination level. The PCDFs contributed the biggest proportion of the total UP-POPs toxic equivalents (TEQs), and the average emission factors in fly ash were 10.5, 17.3, and 1.82 ng TEQt(-1) for the PCDDs, PCDFs, and "dioxin-like" PCBs, respectively, and 1,792, 2,028, and 1,025 ngt(-1) for the PCNs, HxCBz, and PeCBz, respectively. These data are essential for establishing an integrated UP-POP release inventory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guorui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yang B, Zhou L, Xue N, Li F, Wu G, Ding Q, Yan Y, Liu B. China action of "Cleanup Plan for Polychlorinated Biphenyls Burial Sites": emissions during excavation and thermal desorption of a capacitor-burial site. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2013; 96:231-237. [PMID: 23867092 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Revised: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Scarce data are available so far on emissions in a given scenario for excavation and thermal desorption, a common practice, of soils contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). As part of China action of "Cleanup Plan for PCBs Burial Sites", this study roughly estimated PCBs emissions in the scenario for a capacitor-burial site. The concentrations of total PCBs (22 congeners) in soils were in the range of 2.1-16,000μg/g with a mean of 2300μg/g, among the same order of magnitude as the highest values obtained in various PCBs-contaminated sites. Only six congeners belonging to Di-, Tri-, and Tetra-CBs were observed above limits of detection in air samples in the scenario, partially which can be estimated by the USEPA air emission model. Comparing concentrations and composition profiles of PCBs in the soil and air samples further indicated a leaked source of commercial PCBs formulations of trichlorobiphenyl (China PCB no. 1). The measures taken if any to mitigate the volatilization and movement of PCBs and to minimize worker exposure were discussed for improvements of the excavation practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|