Impact of emissions into the atmospheric air of a sewage sludge incineration plant on public health

Introduction. Urban wastewater sludge (UWS) is an important by-product of traditional urban wastewater treatment. Incineration is considered the most effective and universal method of reducing the volume of a large amount of UWS and their disinfection. However, the situation in the areas where the USW incineration plants are located, as a result of the pyrolytic process products entering the atmospheric air, creates complete uncertainty and unpredictability of the development of events that can lead in certain situations to the formation of an additional risk to public health.

The purpose of the study. Hygienic characteristics of wastewater sludge incineration technology based on indicators of atmospheric air pollution and the magnitude of the risk to the health of the population living in the zone of influence of the implemented technology.

Materials and methods. At the first stage, the analysis of the information presented in the international databases PubMed, Scopus, and PRINCE was carried out. Based on the results of the analysis, a list of chemical compounds was formed to identify the qualitative composition and determine the amount of pollutants in industrial emissions into the atmospheric air during the implementation of wastewater sludge incineration technology. Sanitary and chemical studies of industrial emissions into the atmospheric air were carried out by the chemical analytical center “Arbitration” of the D.I. Mendeleev Institute for Metrology. Modern high-precision analytical methods have been used to identify and quantify priority atmospheric pollutants.

Results. Industrial emissions samples laboratory studies were carried out. Measurement results analysis showed that the indicators of quantitative emissions of harmful (polluting) substances do not exceed the international regulations requirements, most are below the detection limit, and the calculated concentrations do not exceed hygienic standards.

The assessment of carcinogenic health risk are determined as acceptable, the probability of developing diseases additional cases from exposure to all the studied carcinogens throughout life in the population permanently residing in the territory in the area of the enterprise location is assessed as insignificant (less than one case).

Limitations. In this study, there was a limitation associated with the method for determining concentrations of substances detection limit, which, nevertheless, satisfies the purpose of the study. Since a sample of unknown composition was taken, the entire possible substances spectrum in the emissions was evaluated. Substances with a carcinogenic effect were present in the emissions, but only those substances that had a carcinogenic potential factor were included in the carcinogenic risk assessment.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the conclusion of the Biomedical ethics committee.

Contribution:
Gorbanev S.A. — research concept and design, selection of analytical methods, text writing, editing;
Kopytenkova O.I. — research concept and design, processing of experimental materials, analysis of measurement results, statistical processing, text writing;
Ganichev P.A. — research concept and design, collection and processing of experimental materials, analysis of measurement results, statistical processing, literature review, text writing;
Markova O.L., Alekseeva I.V., Dzhambulov R.L. — analysis of measurement results, text writing;
Zaritskaya E.V. — choice of analytical methods, analysis of measurement results, text writing;
Eremin G.B. — literature review, collection and processing of experimental materials;
Isaev D.S. — processing of experimental materials, statistical processing, writing text. 

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 

Acknowledgement. The study was carried out under a contract with LLC "Institute of Medical and Environmental Problems and Health Risk Assessment – Construction Design" (LLC "IMEPORZ–SP"). 

Received: July 7, 2022 / Accepted: October 3, 2022 / Published: November 30, 2022