THE INNOVATION OF THE HUMAN EXPOSURE FACTOR ESTIMATION FOR LCA

Abstract

The human health risk assessment is one the most important problem of modern ecology. The USEtox model is an instrument to characterize the human health risks in the LCIA method. In the USEtox the exposure factor (XF) is used to assess the contact between the person and the environment considering the receipt of the foodstuffs (e.g. pork). Despite all advantages of USEtox, there are some uncertainties in calculations of XF. In the study of the chemicals entry into the human body with food and water, the regional aspect is considered only for the place where the conditionally “contaminated” products are derived, but the residence place of a population is not considered. However, air and water transfer pollutants (heavy metal – Сhromium) to zones that do not have industrial facilities. As an example of estimation of the health impact of the residents near the nuclear fuel cycle industry, the XF was calculated using the concentration of Cr in pork meat. For the study, samples of Sus scrofa domestica organs (totally 60 samples) were taken in the territory of two settlements, impacted and cleaned. Both areas are not located directly in the industrial hub, but the impacted area is under the anthropogenic influence with air and water transfer of pollution. The results of XF estimation show that population of the impacted area consumes more Cr with pork meat even if this area is not directly located in the industrial hub. The XF for both areas is much higher than USEtox default values, calculated for population of whole Central Asia. We purpose a spatial aspect as a new characterization factor for the impact assessment. The population of one region can consume a different amount of pollutant depending on the location of settlement they live.