Emission and health risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in various processes of a petroleum refinery in the Pearl River Delta, China. (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Zhijuan; Yan, Xiuying; Gao, Feilong; Thai, Phong; Wang, Hao; Chen, Dan; Zhou, Lei; Gong, Daocheng; Li, Qinqin; Morawska, Lidia; Wang, Boguang
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 238(2018)
• Page Start: 452
• Page End: 461
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Volatile organic compounds -- Occupational exposure limits -- Cancer risk assessment -- Non-cancer risk assessment -- Occupational health risk; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: The process-specific emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a petroleum refinery in the Pearl River Delta, China was monitored to assess the health risk from VOCs to workers of this refinery. Over 60 VOCs were detected in the air samples collected from various sites in the refining, basic chemical, and wastewater treatment areas of the refinery using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection. The health risks of VOCs to the refinery workers were assessed using US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) methods. Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were implemented to assess the uncertainty of the health risk estimation. The emission results showed that C5-C6 alkanes, including 2-methylpentane (17.6%), 2, 3-dimethylbutane (15.4%) and 3-methylpentane (7.7%), were the major VOCs in the refining area. p -Diethylbenzene (9.3%), 2-methylpentane (8.1%) and m -diethylbenzene (6.8%) were dominant in the basic chemical area, and 2-methylpentane (20.9%), 2, 3-dimethylbutane (11.4%) and 3-methylpentane (6.5%) were the most abundant in the wastewater treatment area. For the non-cancer risk estimated using the US EPA method, the total hazard ratio in the basic chemical area was the highest (3.1 × 10 3 ), owing to the highest level of total concentration of VOCs. For the cancer risk, the total cancer risks were very high, ranging from 2.93 × 10 −3 (in the wastewater treatment area) to 1.1 × 10 −2 (in the basic chemical area), suggesting a definite risk. Using the ACGIH method, the total occupational exposure cancer risks of VOCs in the basic chemical area were the highest, being much higher than those of refining and wastewater treatment areas. Among the areas, the total occupational exposure risks in the basic chemical and refining areas were >1, which suggested a cancer threat to workers in these areas. Sensitivity analysis suggested that improving the accuracy of VOC concentrations themselves in future research would advance the health risk assessment. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: We investigated the process-specific emission of VOCs from a petroleum refinery in China. The health risks of VOCs to the refinery workers were assessed using two different methods. There exists definite cancer risk for all the monitored areas using the USEPA method. There is cancer threat to workers in the chemical and refining areas with the ACGIH method. Abstract : This process-specific VOC emission study revealed occupational exposure cancer risks associated with petroleum refineries, particularly in the chemical and refining areas.