Assessment and Management of Human Health Risk Due to Dioxin-Like Compounds in Japan. J. Nakanishi and K. Yoshida, Yokohama National University, 79-7, Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
This study involves the assessment of human health risk due to dioxin in six receptor groups: two groups of the general population and one group of each local residents living near a municipal garbage incinerator facility, heavy fish consumers, breast-fed infants and fetuses. Dioxin exposure level of the general population was estimated using data obtained by various institutions and available to the public. To assess the exposure level to local residents living near an incinerator facility, we used a mathematical model to estimate the site-specific concentrations of dioxins in air, soil, leaf crops and root crops resulting from incinerator stack emission. The estimated concentrations were calibrated using measured dioxin concentrations in soil samples collected near the incinerator. Finally, the calibrated concentrations were applied to assess exposure levels through air, soil and crops near the incinerator. Among the four adult receptor groups, heavy fish consumers are the most highly exposed. For evaluating human health risk, three dosimetries and three endpoints were used. The risks to breast-fed infants and fetuses were evaluated by comparing their exposure levels with those of Yusho fetopathy patients and infants breast-fed by Yusho patient mothers. Finally, the efficiency of various countermeasures for risk reduction was examined by integrating emission source data into the risk evaluation results.
This work has been supported by CREST of Japan Science and Technology Corporation.
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