Environmental Levels of PCDD/Fs near Cement Plants in Catalonia, Spain. An Update of Human Health Risks

Authors

  • Neus González

    1. Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; 2. Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43204 Reus, Spain
  • Joaquim Rovira

    1. Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; 2. Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43204 Reus, Spain
  • José L. Domingo

    1. Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; 2. Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43204 Reus, Spain
  • Martí Nadal

    1. Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; 2. Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43204 Reus, Spain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v6i3.6937
Received: 23 July 2024 | Revised: 4 September 2024 | Accepted: 5 September 2024 | Published Online: 25 September 2024

Abstract

Cement production is an important industrial activity that generates large amounts of pollutants, including, among others, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). These environmental contaminants are persistent and bioaccumulative, potentially causing serious adverse effects on human health, including cancer. The present paper was aimed at providing an update of the environmental concentrations of PCDD/Fs around various cement plants located in Catalonia, Spain. The non-carcinogenic and the carcinogenic risks associated to PCDD/Fs exposure were also assessed for the population living near the facilities. According to the present results, the environmental burdens of PCDD/Fs were highly dependent on the surroundings, rather than the technical specifics characteristics of each facility. Thus, higher concentrations were found near cement plants located in urban areas, where other emission sources (e.g., heavy traffic, domestic heating, etc.) may be present. The surveillance studies showed long-term stable concentrations in air, while PCDD/Fs levels in soil and vegetation were more variable. Although inhalation was the most relevant pathway of environmental exposure, the main uptake of PCDD/Fs occurs -in general- via dietary intake. Cancer risks were higher for people living near cement plants in urban areas than in rural environments, but at levels that are considered as acceptable by international regulations. In turn, the non-carcinogenic risks suggest a low concern, as the hazard quotient was <1. Long-term surveys conducted in Catalan cement plants indicate that these facilities, which are periodically (every two years) monitored, should not be of concern for human health, in terms of PCDD/F exposure.

Keywords:

PCDD/Fs; Cement industry; Environmental monitors; Long-term surveillance; Health risk assessment

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How to Cite

González, N., Rovira, J., José L. Domingo, & Nadal, M. (2024). Environmental Levels of PCDD/Fs near Cement Plants in Catalonia, Spain. An Update of Human Health Risks. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 6(3), 156–166. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v6i3.6937

Issue

Vol. 6 , Iss. 3 (October 2024)

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2024 Neus González, Joaquim Rovira, José L. Domingo, Martí Nadal

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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