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Human Risk Exposure Assessment Of Endocrine-Disrupting Heavy Metals Found In Microplastics and Microrubbers: Case Study-Ahvaz Metropolitan, Iran
Summary
Researchers sampled microplastics and microrubbers from municipal solid waste landfill soils in Ahvaz, Iran, and measured six endocrine-disrupting heavy metals (including lead, cadmium, and chromium) on their surfaces. Health risk assessments showed that dermal contact and incidental ingestion were the dominant exposure routes, with some metals posing non-carcinogenic risks above safe thresholds. The findings demonstrate that plastic particles in landfills can act as carriers concentrating hormone-disrupting metals that may pose risks to nearby communities.
Abstract This study's objective is to investigate the type, concentration, and spectrometry analysis of six endocrine-disrupting heavy metals (based on World Health Organization/International Program on Chemical Safety (WHO/IPCS) proposal and list from 2002) detected on the surface of microplastics and microrubbers in the soils of municipal solid waste landfills in the Ahvaz metropolitan area. This study also seeks to evaluate the Human health risk posed by such pollutants. Ten sampling stations and two control stations were chosen using the systematic grid sampling method in both locations. Microplastics and microrubbers particles were recovered from samples utilizing density difference and flotation procedures Next, the samples were analyzed with a stereomicroscope, polarized light microscopy, and Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Metals were also analyzed using various coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The existence of endocrine-disrupting heavy metals on the particles' surface was confirmed. According to the results of the noncarcinogenic risk assessment (HQ) of several exposure pathways to particles and pollutant compounds carrying them, the ingestion pathway posed a greater risk of exposure to children than other pathways. In addition, the noncarcinogenic risks of the majority of compounds examined do not exceed the permissible limit (HI ≤ 1), and there is no noncarcinogenic risk associated with the cumulative effects of these elements on humans.