|
The research centered on a probabilistic risk assessment of toxic metals for ambient air in Taejon Industrial Complex 1 & 2. Airborne concentrations of each toxic metal for the assessment were obtained from about 2-year sampling and analysis in the complex. The long-term arithmetic means of human carcinogens, i. e., arsenic, hexavalent chromium and nickel subsulfide were 5.53, 2.16, and 3.46 ng/m³ while the means of probable human carcinogens such as beryllium, cadmium and lead were 0.08, 2.35, and 293.29 ng/m³, respectively. Based on a probabilistic risk assessment, the 50th -95th percentile cancer risks for men and women were 2.8x 10^(5) -9.6×10^(5), and 2.5 x 10^(5)~8.5×10^(5), respectively. These percentile risks did not exceed de minimis risk level of 10⁴ based on the 95th percentile risk. This study also showed that probabilistic risk assessment can provide a more complete assessment of risk and more useful-information to risk manager and the public. Ilowever, uncertainty remains and improved Korean probabilistic density functions (YUh) are needed for factors such as inhalation rate, exposure frequency, cancer potency factors and reference doses.
|