Document Type
Journal Article
Department/Unit
Department of Biology
Title
Health risk assessment of abandoned agricultural soils based on heavy metal contents in Hong Kong, the world's most populated city
Language
English
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the consequence of changing and using agricultural soils to other purposes in Hong Kong with respect to risk to human health. This study established concentrations of the following priority elements: As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn in terms of total burden (using mixed acid microwave digestion) and with respect to metal bioaccessibility (using an in vitro simulated gastric solution). 55 locations were sampled representing 12 different land use types, namely, agricultural (A), abandoned agricultural (Ab), organic farm (OF), container storage (CS), construction waste (CW), e-waste storage (EW (S)), e-waste dismantling workshop (EW (DW)), e-waste open burning site (EW (OBS)), open burning site (OBS), petrol station (PS), metal recycling workshop (MRW) and car dismantling workshop (CDW). The elemental concentrations were subsequently used to establish Hazard Indices (for adults and children). 95th percentile values of total elemental concentrations were used to derive a combined (ingestion, dermal and inhalation) Hazard Index (HI) only for adults where the EW (DW) land use type indicated the potential for increased harm (HI = 1.16). On the other hand, where 5th percentile values of total elemental concentrations were used to derive a combined Hazard Index (HI) for children the HI values exceeded 1 for CS, MRW, PS, EW (DW), EW (OBS) and CDW land use types (respectively, 1.21, 1.19, 1.52, 1.21, 1.81 and 2.04). © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords
Changing land use, Exposure pathways, Farm soils, Heavy metals, Non-cancer risk
Publication Date
2010
Source Publication Title
Environment International
Volume
36
Issue
6
Start Page
570
End Page
576
Publisher
Elsevier
DOI
10.1016/j.envint.2010.04.014
Link to Publisher's Edition
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2010.04.014
ISSN (print)
01604120
ISSN (electronic)
18736750
Recommended Citation
Man, Yu Bon, Xiao Lin Sun, Yin Ge Zhao, Brenda Natalia Lopez, Shan Shan Chung, Sheng Chun Wu, Kwai Chung Cheung, and Ming H Wong. "Health risk assessment of abandoned agricultural soils based on heavy metal contents in Hong Kong, the world's most populated city." Environment International 36.6 (2010): 570-576.