Quantification and health risk assessment of heavy metals in residual floor dust at an indoor firing range: A case study in Trinidad, WI

ABSTRACT

Residual floor dust at an indoor firing range was investigated for the presence of selected heavy metals, and the associated health risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) were explored. Average heavy metal concentrations decreased in the following order: Pb >> Cu >> Zn > Mn > Cr > Ni > Cd. For the examined floor dust, moderate to significant degrees of enrichment were observed for Ni, Cd, Cr and Zn while extremely high degrees of enrichment were reported for Cu and Pb. Lead was the only heavy metal that exceeded the Hazard Index value of 1 and the potential carcinogenic risks for Cd and Ni were considered acceptable. A potential carcinogenic risk existed for Cr, as denoted by a total lifetime cancer risk value greater than 10^-4.

KEYWORDS:

• Indoor firing range
• floor dust
• heavy metals
• health risk assessment

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Department of Chemistry and staff members of the Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health Programme, the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, for all resources and support throughout this project.

Declaration of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.