TOXICITY OF FLUE ASH EMISSIONS FROM WASTE INCINERATORS

Short term oral toxicity studies were performed to determine the toxicity of emissions from a Dutch municipal solid waste incinerator. Male guinea pigs and rats were fed a sample of a flue ash. In the flue ash, various metals and halo-organic compounds, including dioxins and furans were detected. For both guinea pig and rat, the flue ash was lethal within a few days for a number of animals at a dose of 100 g per kg feed. Besides, all rats suffered from gastric hemorrhage at that dose level. After 14 days exposure, for both guinea pig and rat, decreased body weight and thymic atrophy was noticed at a dose of 25 g flue ash per kg feed. A dose related induction of hepatic MFO for rats was detected from 5 to 25 g per kg feed. The ED50 for induction of EROD was estimated to be 17 g flue ash per kg feed, equivalent to a cumulative intake of 2-mu-g TEQ/kg b.w. Serum showed a dose dependent increase of lead. It was concluded, that at high dose levels, the metals in flue ash were responsible for the lethality and hemorrhage, whereas effects on body and organ weight, and enzyme induction could be caused by the 2,3,7,8 chlorine substituted PCDDs and PCDFs in the flue ash. So, in principle a risk assessment of emissions from waste incinerators for the general population can be made, by evaluating the amount of TEQ.