Title: | Analysis of possible carcinogenic compounds in recycled plastic modified asphalt |
Author(s): | Boom YJ; Enfrin M; Grist S; Giustozzi F; |
Address: | "Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, 124 La Trobe St, VIC, 3001 Melbourne, Australia. Analytical Chemistry, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, 124 La Trobe St, VIC, 3001 Melbourne, Australia. Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, 124 La Trobe St, VIC, 3001 Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: filippo.giustozzi@rmit.edu.au" |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159910 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1026 (Electronic) 0048-9697 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The incorporation of recycled plastics in asphalt mixtures is getting a growing interest, however, exposing recycled plastics to the high working temperatures of asphalt has posed health and safety concerns. Few studies have paid attention to assessing health and environmental risks concerning recycled plastic-modified asphalt. This study investigates the release of 6 carcinogenic compounds from asphalt modified with recycled plastics, 4 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 2 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The concentration of each compound was quantified by GC-MS. Human health risk assessments were conducted using probabilistic methods to assess the risk for an average Australian construction worker to get non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health issues when exposed to conventional and plastic-modified asphalt fumes. Results showed that non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks related to VOC carcinogens (benzene, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and styrene) are negligible while PAHs (benzo[a]pyrene and dibenz[a,h]anthracene) constitute a possible non-carcinogenic risk and low carcinogenic risk for workers exposed to asphalt fumes. Overall the incorporation of recycled plastic in asphalt reduced the risk for workers to get non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health issues compared to conventional asphalt mixes. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: With increasing trends of using recycled plastics as road materials, concerns about the exposure of workers to carcinogenic gaseous emissions have been raised. This study demonstrates a non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessment on exposure to recycled plastic modified asphalt fumes. The findings suggest that recycled plastics decrease non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks compared to conventional asphalt" |
Keywords: | "Humans *Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis Carcinogens/analysis Plastics/analysis *Occupational Exposure/analysis Australia Hydrocarbons/analysis *Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis Gases/analysis Asphalt Carcinogens Polycyclic aromatic hydrocar;" |
Notes: | "MedlineBoom, Yeong Jia Enfrin, Marie Grist, Stephen Giustozzi, Filippo eng Netherlands 2022/11/07 Sci Total Environ. 2023 Feb 1; 858(Pt 2):159910. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159910. Epub 2022 Nov 3" |