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Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in municipal waste dumping site, incinerator and brick kiln residues: evaluation for potential risk assessment

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Abstract

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) consist of a group of organohalogenated compounds which are ubiquitous, anthropogenic, toxic and persistent organic pollutants. Human exposure to PCDD/Fs is associated with severe health risks. In the current study, levels of PCDD/Fs were determined in soil from municipal waste (MW) dumping site and ash residues from hospital waste incinerators (HWIs) and brick kilns (BKs) in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, Pakistan. A total of 17 congeners (7 PCDDs and 10 PCDFs) were quantified using high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) 6890 Series (Agilent, USA). The PCDD/Fs contamination levels in the studied samples followed an order of HWIs > BKs > MW dumping site. Among HWIs, highest toxicity values of 2343 ng international toxicity equivalency factors (I-TEQ)/kg and 2138 ng World Health Organization-toxicity equivalents quantity (WHO-TEQ)/kg were observed for Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), while toxicity values for Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) were found to be 1493 ng I-TEQ/kg and 1416 ng WHO-TEQ/kg, respectively. The TEQ values were found in order of HWIs > BKs > MW site. Potential for both non-cancer and cancer risk (CR) in three pathways was found in order as ingestion > dermal > inhalation. Based on the finding it can be inferred that the onsite workers and general public exposed to such levels are under potential risk for both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support for this work was provided by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan.

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Research was funded by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Nida Gul, Bushra Khan & Hizbullah Khan

  2. Nationl Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Said Muhammad

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan

    Iqbal Ahmad

  4. Climate Change Centre, Agriculture University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Nayab Gul

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  1. Nida Gul
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  2. Bushra Khan
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  3. Hizbullah Khan
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  4. Said Muhammad
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  5. Iqbal Ahmad
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  6. Nayab Gul
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Correspondence to Nida Gul.

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Responsible Editor: Amjad Kallel

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Gul, N., Khan, B., Khan, H. et al. Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in municipal waste dumping site, incinerator and brick kiln residues: evaluation for potential risk assessment. Arab J Geosci 14, 741 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07108-0

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