Ecological and health risk assessment, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of heavy metals contamination in the soil from municipal solid waste landfill in Central, Thailand

Abstract

Heavy metals leaching from municipal solid waste landfills have resulted in severe environmental pollution and may influence human health status. This study aimed to determine the total concentrations of metals, environmental risk and evaluate the potential human health risk including non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. Soil samples were collected from the open municipal solid waste landfill located in central, Thailand. The 90^th percentile concentration of Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Ni, Pb, and Zn were above the world soil average. The pollution load index revealed significant contamination by multiple elements. The soil was extremely contaminated by Bi, heavily contaminated by Cd, and moderately contaminated by Cu. The potential ecological risk demonstrated that Cd was the dominant leading risk, followed by Cu. Long term exposure to the soil causing adverse health effects related to non-carcinogenic in both children (HI = 1.73) and adults (HI = 1.21). The lifetime carcinogenic risks for children and adults indicated an acceptable risk (2.6x10⁻⁵ for children and 1.6x10⁻⁵ for adults) where Cr was the leading factor. Long term monitoring of heavy metals concentration in landfill and adjacent paddy fields together with enhancing occupational safety and health awareness to reduce exposure to heavy metal as the potential hazard should be considered.

KEYWORD:

• cancer
• contamination
• environment
• hazard
• pollution
• risk

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study was undertaken in the framework of the Companion approach for Cross-sectoral collaboration in health risks management in the South East Asia (ComAcross) Project with the financial support of the European Union (EuropeAid, INNOVATE contract 315-047).