Site contamination health risk assessment case study involving tenant relocation from a former gasworks site
| Autor: | Angela McLean, Sam Mangas, Len Turczynowicz, D. James Fitzgerald, Monika Nitschke |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2007 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Gasworks Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Urine Toxicology Risk Assessment Environmental protection Water Supply South Australia Humans Soil Pollutants Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Aged Aged 80 and over Topsoil Air Pollutants Cyanides Pyrenes Health risk assessment Public Housing Textiles Dust Contamination Middle Aged Soil contamination Yard Air Pollution Indoor Child Preschool Environmental science Female Gases Volatilization Relocation Environmental Pollution Biomarkers Mutagens |
| Zdroj: | Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A. 70(19) |
| ISSN: | 1528-7394 |
| Popis: | An Adelaide suburban public-housing residential site with 16 apartments was investigated after complaints of odor in some yard areas. A distinct 0.5-m layer of dark, odorous (tarry), contaminant material, which in some areas had been covered with plastic sheeting, was subsequently found beneath the topsoil across most of the site. This material appeared to extend beneath the apartments. Analysis indicated high levels of cyanide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), consistent with gasworks waste. Historical investigation revealed that the site was originally owned by a gas company and that a large gasometer (gas-storage tank) existed in one corner of the site. This finding of significant soil contamination precipitated a decision by the health and housing authorities to notify tenants immediately and to plan for their relocation. In addition to tending to the consequent personal disruption and logistical difficulties this posed, a detailed risk assessment process was developed. Urine samples were collected before and after relocation and analyzed for 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), a biomarker for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure. In addition, samples of tap water, indoor and outdoor air, indoor and ceiling dust, carpets, and soil from tillage areas were analyzed for PAHs. Data indicated a low health risk associated with tenancy on the site. This report presents details of the health risk assessment process undertaken and discusses vindicative reasons for tenant relocation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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