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Impact of Biosolids Recycling on Groundwater Resources
Author(s) -
McFarland Michael J.,
Kumarsamy Karthik,
Brobst Robert B.,
Hais Alan.,
Schmitz Mark D.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143013x13736496909275
Subject(s) - biosolids , hazard quotient , pollutant , environmental science , groundwater , environmental engineering , groundwater pollution , environmental health , human health , aquifer , engineering , chemistry , medicine , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
Using the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) Multimedia, Multi‐pathway, Multi‐receptor Exposure and Risk Assessment (3MRA) technology, a computer‐based biosolids groundwater risk characterization screening tool (RCST) was developed. The objective of this study was to apply the RCST to characterize the potential human health risks associated with exposure to biosolid pollutants. RCST application to two Virginia biosolids land application sites predicted that pollutant concentrations as large as ten times the current regulatory limit could be safely applied to land with no apparent human health effects associated with groundwater consumption. Only under unrealistically high biosolids application rates and pollutant concentrations were the public health risks associated with groundwater impairment characterized as significant (hazard quotient >= 1.0). For example, when the biosolids land application rate was increased to 900 Mg/ha and the pollutant concentrations were increased to ten times the legal limit, the hazard quotient value ranged from 1.27 (zinc) to 248.19 (selenium).