Abstract
In June 2010, the cement plant of Montcada i Reixac (MR) (Catalonia, Spain) began a gradual implementation of alternative fuel to replace fossil fuel. Between December 2010 and November 2014, we conducted three monitoring surveys to evaluate the state of the environment around the facility. Data were compared with results from three monitoring surveys performed in 2008–2009. In all these studies, samples of soil, vegetation, and air were collected, being the content of a number of trace elements and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in these matrices determined. In general terms, a decrease of metal and PCDD/F concentrations was found. Human health risks followed a similar temporal trend, being acceptable according to national and international standards and independent on the fuel used. The Disability-Adjusted Life Year and the costs of cancer cases were also estimated for the population living around the MR cement plant, accounting for 4 years and 31,000 €/year, respectively.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abril GA, Wannaz ED, Mateos AC, Pignata ML (2014) Biomonitoring of airborne particulate matter emitted from a cement plant and comparison with dispersion modelling results. Atmos Environ 82:154–163
Al-Wabel MI, El-Saeid MH, Usman ARA, Al-Turki AM, Ahmad M, Hassanin AS, El-Naggar AH, Alenazi KKH (2016) Identification, quantification, and toxicity of PCDDs and PCDFs in soils from industrial areas in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. doi: 10.1007/s00128-016-1779-6
ARC (2015) Values for general reference levels (GRL) for metalls and metalloids and protection to the human health applicable to Catalonia. Agency of Waste of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain. http://residus.gencat.cat/en/ambits_dactuacio/sols_contaminats/nivells_generics_de_referencia_ngr/valors_dels_ngr_per_metalls_i_metal_loides_i_proteccio_salut/. Accessed 19 April 2016
Benhelal E, Zahedi G, Shamsaei E, Bahadori A (2013) Global strategies and potentials to curb CO2 emissions in cement industry. J Clean Prod 51:142–161
Brown RJC, Van Aswegen S, Webb WR, Goddard SL (2014) UK concentrations of chromium and chromium (VI), measured as water soluble chromium, in PM10. Atmos Environ 99:385–391
Chen T, Zhan M-X, Lin X-Q, Li Y-Q, Zhang J, Li X-D, Yan J-H, Buekens A (2016) Emission and distribution of PCDD/Fs and CBzs from two co-processing RDF cement plants in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23(12):11845–11854
Conesa JA, Gálvez A, Mateos F, Martín-Gullónet I, Font R (2008) Organic and inorganic pollutants from cement kiln stack feeding alternative fuels. J Hazard Mater 158:585–592
Conesa JA, Rey L, Egea S, Rey MD (2011) Pollutant formation and emissions from cement kiln stack using a solid recovered fuel from municipal solid waste. Environ Sci Technol 45:5878–5884
Coutinho M, Albuquerque M, Silva AP, Rodrigues J, Borrego C (2016) Long-time monitoring of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans over a decade in the ambient air of Porto, Portugal. Chemosphere 137:207–213
CSI (2015) Cement sustainability initiative. World business council sustainable development. http://www.wbcsdcement.org/. Accessed 19 April 2016
Devleesschauwer B, Havelaar AH, de Noordhout CM, Haagsma JA, Praet N, Dorny P, Duchateau L, Torgerson PR, Van Oyen H, Speybroeck N (2014) DALY calculation in practice: a stepwise approach. Int J Public Health 59:571–574
Die Q, Nie Z, Liu F, Tian Y, Fang Y, Gao H, Tian S, He J, Huang Q (2015) Seasonal variations in atmospheric concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs around industrial sites in Shanghai, China. Atmos Environ 119:220–227
Domingo JL, Agramunt MC, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Corbella J (2002) Health risk assessment of PCDD/PCDF exposure for the population living in the vicinity of a municipal waste incinerator. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 43:461–465
Domingo JL, Perelló G, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M (2012) Dietary intake of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) by a population living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator. Assessment of the temporal trend. Environ Int 50:22–30
EC (2008) Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives. European Commission. Off J Eur Union L 312:3–30
Eppe G, Maghuin-Rogister G, De Pauw E (2004) Performances and limitations of the HRMS method for dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs analysis in animal feedingstuffs: Part II: does it comply with the European pro-active approach? Anal Chim Acta 519:243–253
Ercan Ö, Dinçer F (2016) Atmospheric concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PAHs, and metals in the vicinity of a cement plant in Istanbul. Air Qual Atmos Health 9:159–172
Fernández de Larrea-Baz N, Alvarez-Martín E, Morant-Ginestar C, Gènova-Maleras R, Gil A, Pérez-Gómez B, López-Abente G (2009) Burden of disease due to cancer in Spain. BMC Public Health 9:42
Fundación Cemento y Medio Ambiente (2013) Reciclado y valorización de residuos en la industria cementera en España. (Actaulicación año 2013). http://www.fundacioncema.org/Uploads/docs/CTActRec&Val-Cuerpo2015DEFINITIVO.pdf. Accessed 19 April 2016
Huang CJ, Che KS, Lai YC, Wang LC, Chang-Chien GP (2011) Characterization of atmospheric dry deposition of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofuran in a rural area of Taiwan. Aerosol Air Qual Res 11:448–459
Huang W, Duan D, Zhang Y, Cheng H, Ran Y (2014) Heavy metals in particulate and colloidal matter from atmospheric deposition of urban Guangzhou, South China. Mar Pollut Bull 85:720–726
Idescat (2015) The municipality in figures. http://www.idescat.cat/emex/?lang=en. Accessed 19 April 2016
IEA (2008) Energy Technology Perspectives 2008: Scenarios & Strategies to 2050. International Energy Agency IEA publications, Paris
IEA-WBCSD (2009) Sustainable development. Cement technology roadmap 2009. Carbon emission reductions up to 2050. International Energy Agency and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. IEA Publications, Paris
IPCC (2007) Climate change 2007: mitigation. Contribution of working group III to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, New York
Jin R, Zhan J, Liu G, Zhao Y, Zheng M (2016) Variations and factors that influence the formation of polychlorinated naphthalenes in cement kilns co-processing solid waste. J Hazard Mat 315:117–125
Karstensen KH (2008) Formation, release and control of dioxins in cement kilns. Chemosphere 70:543–560
Kumar V, Mari M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2009) Partitioning total variance in risk assessment: Application to a municipal solid waste incinerator. Environ Model Softw 24:247–261
Leong YH, Gan CY, Majid MIA (2014) Dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in seafood samples from Malaysia: Estimated human intake and associated risks. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 67:21–28
Luengo-Fernandez R, Leal J, Gray A, Sullivan R (2013) Economic burden of cancer across the European Union: a population-based cost analysis. Lancet Oncol 14:1165–1174
Ministerio de Medio Ambiente (2007) Guía Técnica de aplicación del RD 9/2005, de 14 de enero, por el que se establece la relación de actividades potencialmente contaminantes del suelo y los criterios y estándares para la declaración de suelos contaminados. http://www.magrama.gob.es/es/calidad-y-evaluacion-ambiental/temas/suelos-contaminados/guia_tecnica_contaminantes_suelo_declaracion_suelos_tcm7-3204.pdf. Accessed 19 April 2016
Nadal M, Kumar V, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2006) Definition and GIS-based characterization of an integral risk index applied to a chemical/petrochemical area. Chemosphere 64:1526–1535
Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2009) Cost-benefit analysis of using sewage sludge as alternative fuel in a cement plant: a case study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 16:322–328
Nadal M, Cadiach O, Kumar V, Poblet P, Mari M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2011) Health risk map of a petrochemical complex through gis-fuzzy integration of air pollution monitoring data. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 17:873–891
Nadal M, Rovira J, Sánchez-Soberón F, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2016) Concentrations of metals and PCDD/Fs and human health risks in the vicinity of a hazardous waste landfill: a follow-up study. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 22:519–531
Nakatani T, Yamamoto A, Ogaki S (2011) A survey of dietary intake of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and dioxin-like coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls from food during 2000-2002 in Osaka City, Japan. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 60:543–555
Perelló G, Gómez-Catalán J, Castell V, Llobet JM, Domingo JL (2012) Assessment of the temporal trend of the dietary exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Catalonia, over Spain: health risks. Food Chem Toxicol 50:399–408
Perelló G, Llobet JM, Gómez-Catalán J, Castell V, Centrich F, Nadal M, Domingo JL (2014) Human health risks derived from dietary exposure to toxic metals in Catalonia, Spain: temporal trend. Biol Trace Elem Res 162:26–37
RAIS (2014) The risk assessment information system. http://rais.ornl.gov/. Accessed 19 April 2016.
Rivera-Austrui J, Martinez K, Marco-Almagro L, Abalos M, Abad E (2014) Long-term sampling of dioxin-like substances from a clinker kiln stack using alternative fuels. Sci Total Environ 485–486:528–533
Rovira J, Mari M, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2010) Partial replacement of fossil fuel in a cement plant: Risk assessment for the population living in the neighborhood. Sci Total Environ 408:5372–5380
Rovira J, Mari M, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2011a) Use of sewage sludge as secondary fuel in a cement plant: Human health risks. Environ Int 37:105–111
Rovira J, Mari M, Schuhmacher M, Nadal M, Domingo JL (2011b) Monitoring environmental pollutants in the vicinity of a cement plant: a temporal study. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 60:372–384
Rovira J, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2014) Environmental levels of PCDD/Fs and metals around a cement plant in Catalonia, Spain, before and after alternative fuel implementation. Assessment of human health risks. Sci Total Environ 485–486:121–129
Rovira J, Flores J, Schuhmacher M, Nadal M, Domingo JL (2015) Long-term environmental surveillance and health risks of metals and PCDD/Fs around a cement plant in Catalonia, Spain. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 21:514–532
Sánchez-Soberón F, Rovira J, Mari M, Sierra J, Nadal M, Domingo JL, Schuhmacher M (2015) Main components and human health risks assessment of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 in two areas influenced by cement plants. Atmos Environ 120:109–116
Sánchez-Soberón F, van Drooge BL, Rovira J, Grimalt JO, Nadal M, Domingo JL, Schuhmacher M (2016) Size-distribution of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other organic source markers in the surroundings of a cement plant powered with alternative fuels. Sci Total Environ 550:1057–1064
Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL, Garreta J (2004) Pollutants emitted by a cement plant: Health risks for the population living in the neighborhood. Environ Res 95:198–206
Seiler HG, Sigel H (1988) Handbook on toxicity of inorganic compounds. Marcel Dekker, New York
Soerjomataram I, Lortet-Tieulent J, Parkin DM, Ferlay J, Mathers C, Forman D, Bray F (2012) Global burden of cancer in 2008: a systematic analysis of disability-adjusted life-years in 12 world regions. Lancet 380:1840–1850
US EPA, US Environmental Protection Agency (1989) Risk Assessment guidance for superfund volume I: human health evaluation manual, EPA/540/1-89/002. Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, Washington, DC
US EPA, US Environmental Protection Agency (1996) Soil screening guidance: technical background document. EPA/540/R-96/018. Office of Emergency and Remedial Response Washington, DC
US EPA, US Environmental Protection Agency (1998) Toxicological review of hexavalent chromium. https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/toxreviews/0144tr.pdf. Accessed 19 April 2016
Vilavert L, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2012) Long-term monitoring of dioxins and furans near a municipal solid waste incinerator: Human health risks. Waste Manag Res 30:908–916
Vilavert L, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL (2015) Two decades of environmental surveillance in the vicinity of a waste incinerator: Human health risks associated with metals and PCDD/Fs. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 69:241–253
WBCSD (2015) Global cement database on CO2 and energy information. World Business Council for Sustainable Development. http://www.wbcsdcement.org/index.php/key-issues/climate-protection/gnr-database. Accessed 19 April 2016
WHO (2016) Metrics: Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY). http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/metrics_daly/en/. Accessed 19 April 2016
Acknowledgments
This study was financially supported by LAFARGE CEMENTOS SAU. J. Rovira received funding from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) under the Torres Quevedo Program (PTQ-13-06059), cofunded by the European Social Fund.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rovira, J., Nadal, M., Schuhmacher, M. et al. Alternative Fuel Implementation in a Cement Plant: Human Health Risks and Economical Valuation. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 71, 473–484 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-016-0308-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-016-0308-2