ORIGINAL RESEARCH
All-Region Human Health Risk Assessment
of Cr(VI) in a Coal Chemical Plant
Based on Kriging
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School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, China
Submission date: 2018-06-21
Final revision date: 2018-08-13
Acceptance date: 2018-10-26
Online publication date: 2019-06-25
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Corresponding author
Yu Xia
China University of Mining Technology, Beijing, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining Technology, Beijing, No, 100083 Beijing, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(1):429-439
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ABSTRACT
Human health risks of soil Cr(VI) in coal chemical plants have been seldom reported. In this study,
we measured soil Cr(VI) concentrations of 153 sites in a coal chemical plant in China. Human health
risks of Cr(VI) through three exposure pathways, including inhalation, skin contact and oral intake,
were further assessed. A human health risk distribution map of Cr(VI) in the whole plant was obtained
using Kriging. The integrated carcinogenic risk of soil Cr(VI) was 15~27 times of the acceptable
standard (1.000E-06), while the hazard quotient was within the acceptable range (<1.000). Inhalation of
soil particles was the main pathway of Cr(VI) exposure, contributing to 70.53% of the total carcinogenic
risk, the recommended control threshold of which was the smallest (0.608 mg·kg-1) among that of the
investigated exposure pathways and selected as Cr(VI) safety control threshold for this plant. Moreover,
the sites under the highest carcinogenic risk and with the largest hazard quotient were the downwind
areas of the slag pile sites of the power unit. This study may provide suggestions for reducing the human
health risk of Cr(VI) in the coal chemical industry.