Emission and health risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in various processes of a petroleum refinery in the Pearl River Delta, China

Zhijuan Zhang; Xiuying Yan; Feilong Gao; Phong Thai; Hao Wang; Dan Chen; Lei Zhou; Daocheng Gong; Qinqin Li; Lidia Morawska; Boguang Wang

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.054

Emission and health risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in various processes of a petroleum refinery in the Pearl River Delta, China

Environ Pollut. 2018 Jul:238:452-461. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.054. Epub 2018 Mar 26.

Authors

Zhijuan Zhang¹, Xiuying Yan¹, Feilong Gao², Phong Thai³, Hao Wang⁴, Dan Chen², Lei Zhou⁵, Daocheng Gong², Qinqin Li², Lidia Morawska⁶, Boguang Wang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Online Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Guangzhou 510632, China.
² Institute for Environment and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China; Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
³ International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane QLD, 4001, Australia.
⁴ Institute for Environment and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China; JNU - QUT Joint Laboratory for Air Quality Science and Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China. Electronic address: haowang201314@126.com.
⁵ Institute for Environment and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China.
⁶ JNU - QUT Joint Laboratory for Air Quality Science and Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China; International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane QLD, 4001, Australia.
⁷ Institute for Environment and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China; JNU - QUT Joint Laboratory for Air Quality Science and Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China. Electronic address: tbongue@jnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 29587216
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.054

Abstract

The process-specific emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a petroleum refinery in the Pearl River Delta, China was monitored to assess the health risk from VOCs to workers of this refinery. Over 60 VOCs were detected in the air samples collected from various sites in the refining, basic chemical, and wastewater treatment areas of the refinery using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection. The health risks of VOCs to the refinery workers were assessed using US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) methods. Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were implemented to assess the uncertainty of the health risk estimation. The emission results showed that C5-C6 alkanes, including 2-methylpentane (17.6%), 2,3-dimethylbutane (15.4%) and 3-methylpentane (7.7%), were the major VOCs in the refining area. p-Diethylbenzene (9.3%), 2-methylpentane (8.1%) and m-diethylbenzene (6.8%) were dominant in the basic chemical area, and 2-methylpentane (20.9%), 2,3-dimethylbutane (11.4%) and 3-methylpentane (6.5%) were the most abundant in the wastewater treatment area. For the non-cancer risk estimated using the US EPA method, the total hazard ratio in the basic chemical area was the highest (3.1 × 10³), owing to the highest level of total concentration of VOCs. For the cancer risk, the total cancer risks were very high, ranging from 2.93 × 10^-3 (in the wastewater treatment area) to 1.1 × 10^-2 (in the basic chemical area), suggesting a definite risk. Using the ACGIH method, the total occupational exposure cancer risks of VOCs in the basic chemical area were the highest, being much higher than those of refining and wastewater treatment areas. Among the areas, the total occupational exposure risks in the basic chemical and refining areas were >1, which suggested a cancer threat to workers in these areas. Sensitivity analysis suggested that improving the accuracy of VOC concentrations themselves in future research would advance the health risk assessment.

Keywords: Cancer risk assessment; Non-cancer risk assessment; Occupational exposure limits; Occupational health risk; Volatile organic compounds.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / analysis*
Air Pollutants, Occupational / analysis*
China
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Humans
Occupational Exposure / analysis
Occupational Exposure / statistics & numerical data*
Oil and Gas Industry*
Petroleum / analysis*
Risk Assessment
Rivers
United States
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Volatile Organic Compounds / analysis*
Wastewater / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
Air Pollutants, Occupational
Petroleum
Volatile Organic Compounds
Waste Water