Evaluation of Potential Risks from Ash Disposal Site Leachate
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 125, Issue 4
Abstract
A risk-based approach is used to evaluate potential human health risks associated with a discharge from an ash disposal site into a small stream. The RIVRISK model was used to estimate downstream concentrations and corresponding risks. The modeling and risk analyses focus on boron, the constituent of greatest potential concern to public health at the site investigated, in Riddle Run, Pennsylvania. Prior to performing the risk assessment, the model is validated by comparing observed and predicted results. The comparison is good and an uncertainty analysis is provided to explain the comparison. The hazard quotient (HQ) for boron is predicted to be greater than 1 at presently regulated compliance points over a range of flow rates. The reference dose (RfD) currently recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) was used for the analyses. However, the toxicity of boron as expressed by the RfD is now under review by both the U.S. EPA and the World Health Organization. Alternative reference doses being examined would produce predicted boron hazard quotients of less than 1 at nearly all flow conditions.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). ( 1992). “Toxicological profile for boron and compounds.” Rep. No. ATSDR/TP-9/05, U.S. Public Health Service.
2.
Anderson, M. P., and Woessner, W. W. ( 1992). Applied groundwater modeling: simulation of flow and advective transport . Academic Press, New York.
3.
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). ( 1997). “An analysis of cost savings for a constructed wetland treatment system.” Rep. No. TR-108652.
4.
Federal Register . (1997). 62(No. 150; August 5), 42195–42196.
5.
Heindel, J. J., et al. ( 1992). “Developmental toxicity of boric acid in mice and rats.” Fundamental and Appl. Toxicol., 18, 266–277.
6.
Lew, C. S., Mills, W. B., Wilkinson, K. J., and Gherini, S. A. ( 1996). “RIVRISK: a model to assess potential human health and ecological risks from chemical and thermal releases into rivers.” J. Water, Air, Soil Pollution, 90(1/2), 123–132, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
7.
Mills, W. B., and Lew, C. S. ( 1997). “Comparisons of deterministic and probabilistic risk assessments to predict human health risks from power plant releases into rivers.” The Envir. Professional, 19, 80–89.
8.
Mills, W. B., Lew, C. S., and Loh, J. Y. ( 1998). “Predictions of potential human health and ecological risks from power plant discharges of total residual chlorine and chloroform into rivers.” Envir. Sci. and Technol., 32(14), 2162–2171.
9.
Murray, F. J. ( 1995). “A human health risk assessment of boron (boric acid and borax) in drinking water.” Regulatory Toxicol. and Pharmacol., 22, 221–230.
10.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ). ( 1995). “PENTOXSD: Pennsylvania single discharge wasteload allocation program for toxics and other substances.” Technical reference guide. Bureau of Water Quality Management, Harrisburg, Pa.
11.
Price, C. J., Marr, M. C., and Myers, C. B. ( 1994). “Determination of the no-observable-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for developmental toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to boric acid (CAS No. 10043-35-3) in feed on gestational days 0 to 20, and evaluation of postnatal recovery through postnatal day 21.” Rep. No. 65C-5657-200, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, N.C.
12.
Price, C. J., Strong, P. L., Marr, M. C., Myers, C. B., and Murray, F. J. ( 1996). “Developmental toxicity NOAEL and postnatal recovery in rats fed boric acid during gestation.” Fundamental and Appl. Toxicol., 32, 179–193.
13.
Second Int. Symp. on the Health Effects of Boron and its Compounds. (1997). University of California College of Medicine, Irvine, Calif.
14.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1989). “Risk assessment guidance for Superfund, human health evaluation manual part A.” EPA/540/1-89/002, Washington, D.C.
15.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1990). “National oil and hazardous substances pollution contingency plan (final rule).” 40CFR Part 300; 55FR 8666, Washington, D.C.
16.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1991a). “Human health evaluation manual, supplemental guidance: standard default exposure factors.” OSWER Dir. 9285.6-03, Washington, D.C.
17.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1991b). “Guidelines for developmental toxicity risk assessment.” FR 56(234): 63798-63826, Washington, D.C.
18.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1992). “Dermal exposure assessment: Principles and Applications.” EPA/600/8-91/011B, Washington, D.C.
19.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1994). “Health effects assessment summary tables (HEAST).” EPA/540/R-94/020, Washington, D.C.
20.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1996a). “Region IX preliminary remediation goals (PRGs).” San Francisco, Calif.
21.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1996b). “Exposure factors handbook.” EPA/600/P-96/002A, Washington, D.C.
22.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1996c). “Guidelines for reproductive toxicity risk assessment.” EPA/630/R-96/009, Washington, D.C.
23.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1997a). “Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).” Office of Res. and Devel., Envir. Criteria and Assessment Office, Cincinnati, Ohio.
24.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ( 1997b). “Policy for use of probabilistic analysis in risk assessment at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: risk assessment forum.” EPA/630/R-97/001, Washington, D.C.
25.
Weir, R. J., and Fisher, R. S. ( 1972). “Toxicologic studies on borax and boric acid.” Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 23, 351–364.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 125 • Issue 4 • April 1999
Pages: 306 - 313
History
Received: May 4, 1998
Published online: Apr 1, 1999
Published in print: Apr 1999
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.