A Risk Assessment of the Health Liabilities from Exposure to Toxic Metals Found in the Composted Material of Air Force Municipal Solid Waste

Author

Timothy L. Merrymon

Date of Award

9-1993

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

Abstract

This thesis assesses the risk of the health liabilities from exposure to toxic metals found in the composted material of Air Force municipal solid waste (MSW). The goal is to determine the probability that the composted MSW could be a health hazard if it were used as a soil amendment. The research limited the assessment of the exposure risk to heavy metals found in raw MSW and its resulting compost. The thesis uses reviews of present literature to examine the food and soil ingestion exposure pathways. These pathways are assessed using the heavy metal concentrations found in MSW compost and the soil-plant partition coefficients of vegetables grown in soil mixed with sewage sludge or soil irrigated with sewage sludge or soil irrigated with sewage sludge leachate. The recommendation resulting from this research is that the Air Force should not use MSW composting as part of its future solid waste management plan. This alternative to landfilling contains a chronic health risk that is greater than the Environmental Protection Agency's guideline. If the Air Force would use MSW composting in the future, it may endanger Air Force personnel and others who use the compost created from Air Force MSW.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GEE-ENV-93S-10

DTIC Accession Number

ADA270623

Comments

The author's Vita page is omitted.

Recommended Citation

Merrymon, Timothy L., "A Risk Assessment of the Health Liabilities from Exposure to Toxic Metals Found in the Composted Material of Air Force Municipal Solid Waste" (1993). Theses and Dissertations. 7162.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/7162