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Zhao F, Zhao L, Zhong L, Li D, Zheng Y, Jiang Z, Lu C, Zhou P. Radioactivity of inert construction and demolition waste from Hong Kong and environmental assessment for marine trial reclamation in Guanghai Bay. Environ Res 2024:118735. [PMID: 38518905 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Inert construction and demolition waste from Hong Kong (HK public fills) has been used for marine trial reclamation in the Guanghai Bay (GHWT) of the Chinese Mainland. However, an environmental assessment of HK public fills is necessary due to higher radioactivity in HK soils than typical global levels. Here, radiation dose rate, gamma radionuclides and gross beta of HK public fills were analyzed. The origin information was explored using natural primordial radionuclides as fingerprints. Our data show that radiation dose rate of HK public fills before disposal was 0.14-0.54 (0.33 ± 0.03) μSv/h (n = 16,722 data with 2787 ships) in 2014, which is less than the GHWT background. Monthly detection of 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, 228Th, 40K, and gross beta in HK public fills was conducted on three random ships. Their specific activities were <6.27-155.5, 58.7-98.7, <7.83-238.2,97.9-168.6, 87.1-136.0, 463.1-1,018, and 1047-1658 Bq/kgDW, respectively. These results suggest that the radioactivity levels of HK public fills are essentially the same as the GHWT background. The study assessed potential risks using various indices icluding Raeq (Radium equivalent activity), Hex (External radiation hazard index), Hin (Internal radiation hazard index), Iγ (Gamma index), AUI (Activity utilization index), AUI (Activity utilization index), E (Annual effective dose), AGDE (Annual gonadal dose equivalent), RLI (Representative level index), Din (Indoor air absorbed dose rate), Dout (Outdoor air absorbed dose rate), and ELCR (Excess lifetime cancer risk). The study suggests that HK public fills should be used for the trial reclamation rather than building-house materials. This provides valuable insights for the resource utilization and minimizing environmental pollution of HK public fills. The aim is to offer fundamental technical assistance for future waste resource utilization, ecological protection, and restoration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhao
- South China Sea Ecological Center of Ministry of Natural Resources(MNR), Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, & Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application of MNR, Guangzhou, 510300, China
| | - Li Zhao
- South China Sea Ecological Center of Ministry of Natural Resources(MNR), Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, & Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application of MNR, Guangzhou, 510300, China
| | - Lifeng Zhong
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Dongmei Li
- South China Sea Ecological Center of Ministry of Natural Resources(MNR), Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, & Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application of MNR, Guangzhou, 510300, China
| | - Yuanlai Zheng
- South China Sea Ecological Center of Ministry of Natural Resources(MNR), Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, & Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application of MNR, Guangzhou, 510300, China
| | - Zhongchen Jiang
- South China Sea Ecological Center of Ministry of Natural Resources(MNR), Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, & Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application of MNR, Guangzhou, 510300, China.
| | - Chuqian Lu
- South China Sea Ecological Center of Ministry of Natural Resources(MNR), Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, & Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application of MNR, Guangzhou, 510300, China.
| | - Peng Zhou
- South China Sea Ecological Center of Ministry of Natural Resources(MNR), Nansha Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, & Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application of MNR, Guangzhou, 510300, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, 519000, China.
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