Soil Investigation and Human Health Risk Assessment for Nickel in Community Soils Near a Former Nickel Refinery in Southern Ontario, Canada

Abstract

A nickel refinery operated from 1918 to 1984 in a community in southern Ontario. In September 2000, soil nickel levels from a single residential property were found to exceed 9750 ppm. As a result, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) sampled and analyzed almost 2000 soil samples collected from about 200 properties adjacent to the former nickel refinery. Results indicated that surface soil nickel levels ranged up to 17,000 ppm, and that the soil metal levels were variable between properties. The Ministry conducted a human health risk assessment (HHRA) for seven metals (antimony, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel) and arsenic found in the surface soils. The ministry’s HHRA examined total exposure to contaminants through a number of possible pathways, such as (1) incidental ingestion of the soil or dust (indoor and outdoor), (2) home-grown backyard fruit and vegetables, (3) drinking water and supermarket food, (4) dermal contact with soil or dust (indoor and outdoor), and (5) inhalation of ambient air (indoor and outdoor). The predominant form of nickel in these soils was nickel oxide (at least 80% of the total nickel, on average). The HHRA established a soil nickel intervention level of 8000 ppm based on noncancer endpoints, which was intended to protect toddler-aged children. The report finds this soil intervention level should not pose immediate or long-term risks to other age groups.

The community soil analysis and HHRA study involved many Ministry of the Environment scientists, technicians, and management staff (Marius Marsh, Murray Dixon, Bill Gizyn, Bob Emerson, Ron Hall, Danuta Roszak, Deborah Terry, Melanie Appleton, Richard Chong-Kit, Mike Mueller, Al Kuja, Randall Jones, Scott Fleming, Satish Deshpande, Marco Pagliarulo, Mark Chappel, Audrey Wagenaar, Liz Pastorek, Peter Drouin, Sathi Seliah, Rusty Moody, Jim Howden, Lian Liu, Julie Uzonyi, Hung Sing Chiu, Regina Pearce, Paul Nieweglowski, Bob Slattery, Rick Day, Neil Buonocore, Frank Dobroff, Mel Plewes, Jim Smith, George Crawford, Dale Henry, John Mayes, Marny Paget, Robyn Dale). Cantox Environmental, Inc. (Elliot Sigal, Glenn Ferguson, Robert Willes), and Dillon Consulting Ltd. (Bryan Leece) provided technical assistance. Jacques Whitford Environment Limited provided 2000 and 2001 residential vegetable garden produce, garden soil, and 2001 air monitoring data. Zajdlik & Associates provided statistical analysis of the soil database and the soil sampling procedure. Samir Konar, Barenco, Inc., and Tom Hutchinson of Trent University provided critical reviews. Expert panel peer reviewers of the HHRA component of the report were: Ambika Bathija, U.S. EPA, Washington, DC; Lynne Haber, TERA, Cincinnati, OH; Robert Jin, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Toronto, Ontario; Tor Norseth, Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway; Rosalind Schoof, Integral Consulting, Inc., Mercer Island, WA; and John Wheeler, ATSDR, Atlanta, GA.

Notes

The community soil analysis and HHRA study involved many Ministry of the Environment scientists, technicians, and management staff (Marius Marsh, Murray Dixon, Bill Gizyn, Bob Emerson, Ron Hall, Danuta Roszak, Deborah Terry, Melanie Appleton, Richard Chong-Kit, Mike Mueller, Al Kuja, Randall Jones, Scott Fleming, Satish Deshpande, Marco Pagliarulo, Mark Chappel, Audrey Wagenaar, Liz Pastorek, Peter Drouin, Sathi Seliah, Rusty Moody, Jim Howden, Lian Liu, Julie Uzonyi, Hung Sing Chiu, Regina Pearce, Paul Nieweglowski, Bob Slattery, Rick Day, Neil Buonocore, Frank Dobroff, Mel Plewes, Jim Smith, George Crawford, Dale Henry, John Mayes, Marny Paget, Robyn Dale). Cantox Environmental, Inc. (Elliot Sigal, Glenn Ferguson, Robert Willes), and Dillon Consulting Ltd. (Bryan Leece) provided technical assistance. Jacques Whitford Environment Limited provided 2000 and 2001 residential vegetable garden produce, garden soil, and 2001 air monitoring data. Zajdlik & Associates provided statistical analysis of the soil database and the soil sampling procedure. Samir Konar, Barenco, Inc., and Tom Hutchinson of Trent University provided critical reviews. Expert panel peer reviewers of the HHRA component of the report were: Ambika Bathija, U.S. EPA, Washington, DC; Lynne Haber, TERA, Cincinnati, OH; Robert Jin, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Toronto, Ontario; Tor Norseth, Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway; Rosalind Schoof, Integral Consulting, Inc., Mercer Island, WA; and John Wheeler, ATSDR, Atlanta, GA.

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