Distribution profile, health risk and elimination of model atmospheric SVOCs associated with a typical municipal garbage compressing station in Guangzhou, South China

Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) air pollution caused by municipal garbage compressing process was investigated at a garbage compressing station (GCS). The most abundant contaminants were phthalate esters (PAEs), followed by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organic chlorinated pesticides (OCPs). ∑16PAHs concentrations ranged from 58.773 to 68.840 ng m−3 in gas and from 6.489 to 17.291 ng m−3 in particulate phase; ∑20OCPs ranged from 4.181 to 5.550 ng m−3 and from 0.823 to 2.443 ng m−3 in gas and particulate phase, respectively; ∑15PAEs ranged from 46.498 to 87.928 ng m−3 and from 414.765 to 763.009 ng m−3 in gas and particulate phase. Lung-cancer risk due to PAHs exposure was 1.13 × 10−4. Both non-cancer and cancer risk levels due to OCPs exposure were acceptable. Non-cancer hazard index of PAEs was 4.57 × 10−3, suggesting safety of workers as only exposure to PAEs at GCS. At pilot scale, 60.18% of PAHs, 70.89% of OCPs and 63.2% of PAEs were removed by an integrated biotrickling filter-photocatalytic reactor at their stable state, and health risk levels were reduced about 50%, demonstrating high removal capacity of integrated reactor.

► TSP and model SVOCs emitted during garbage compressing process were monitored.
► Model was used to describe gas-particle partitioning of target SVOCs.
► BTF-PC integrated reactor was employed for SVOCs pollution control.
► Health risk of target SVOCs were assessed before and after treatment.