Human Health Risk Assessment Based on Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure and Simple Bioaccessibility Extraction Test of Toxic Metals in Urban Street Dust of Tianjin, China

Abstract

The potential ecological and human health risk related with urban street dust from urban areas of Tianjin, China was quantitatively analyzed using the method of toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and simple bioaccessibility extraction test (SBET). In the study, Hakason index, Nemerow index ( P), the hazard index ( HI) and the cancer risk index ( RI) were calculated to assess the potential risk. The sequence of potential ecological risk based on Hakason index was arsenic (As) > cadmium (Cd) > lead (Pb) > copper (Cu) > chromium (Cr), in particular, As and Cd were regarded as high polluted metals. While the results of extraction of TCLP were assessed using P, the sequence was As > Pb > Cd > Cr > Cu, which mean that As and Pb should be low polluted, and Cd, Cr and Cu would barely not polluted. For human health, total carcinogenic risk for children and adults was 2.01×10 ⁻³ and 1.05×10 ⁻³, respectively. This could be considered to be intolerable in urban street dust exposure. The sequence in the hazard quotient ( HQ) of each element was As > Cr > Pb > Cu > Cd. The HI value of these toxic metals in urban street dust for children and adults was 5.88×10 ⁻¹ and 2.80×10 ⁻¹, respectively. According to the characters of chemistry, mobility, and bioavailability of metals in urban street dust, we estimated the hazards on the environment and human health, which will help us to get more reasonable information for risk management of metals in urban environment.