Environmental Exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide in Central Slovakia (Ružomberok Area) in Context of Health Risk Assessment

• DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3610
• Publication Date: 2018-08-17T14:52:20Z
• Authors: Marek Drimal; Kvetoslava Koppová; Zuzana Klöslová; Eleonóra Fabiánová
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Air Pollutants; Slovakia; Climate; Environmental Exposure; Risk Assessment; 6. Clean water; 3. Good health; 12. Responsible consumption; 03 medical and health sciences; Socioeconomic Factors; 13. Climate action; Air Pollution; 11. Sustainability; Humans; Hydrogen Sulfide

The activities of the kraft pulp-mill in Ružomberok have great impact on ambient air quality town and neighboring villages. malodorous sulfur compounds adversely contribute to overall emission profile. reduced proportion forms inorganic organic containing atoms their lowest oxidation condition (S2-). total includes hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, dimethyl disulfide other compounds. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) - as mentioned above is prime importance. has measured contained since 2002. environmental samples were collected 7 localities all selection based geographic, climatic demographic factors. Four exposure neighborhood, been defined by specified criteria. Exposure assessment was made for each locality determination average daily inhalation dose. concentration H2S reached 5.8 µg.m-3 most polluted (Černová, 2003). To complete health risk assessment, standard characterization procedure Hazard Quotient (HQ) calculation exposure. highest level HQ, almost 7, identified event a worst case scenario (using 95% concentrations), group C. Statistically significant decrease reported levels noted during entire measurement period (-0.25/year, p<0.001).