Soil screening levels in the United States and implication for soil evaluation in China

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2023.11.50

Abstract

Abstract:

Soil evaluation guidelines are essential for soil evaluation and soil environmental protection. The United States (USA) was one of the developed countries first paid attention to contaminated sites protection and soil pollution control, and it has since developed fairly comprehensive guidelines such as the Soil Screening Guidance (SSG) for soil evaluation, whilst China is still in its infancy in this regard. In this paper we review research results on soil screening levels (SSLs) in the USA, focusing on the laws and regulations and technical specifications for soil protection and remediation, and discuss the methodology of SSL formulation based on five health hazard types: direct ingestion, dermal absorption, ingestion of contaminated groundwater, inhalation of outdoor volatiles/particulates and vapor intrusion. On this basis, we propose that researches on soil evaluation in China should be conducted based on soil environmental conditions in China, with emphasis on establishing regional and national soil parameter databases, standardizing national soil evaluation guidelines and carrying out combined research on soil and groundwater evaluation criteria, so as to provide a reference for formulating soil evaluation criteria in China.

Key words: screening levels, soil environmental criteria, risk assessment, contaminated sites, human health

CLC Number:

X53
X825

WANG Xiaoyu, QU Yajing, ZHAO Wenhao, MA Jin. Soil screening levels in the United States and implication for soil evaluation in China[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2024, 31(2): 64-76.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1 Historical development of main laws and regulations and technical specifications for soil management in USA

Fig.2 CERCLA site remediation flowchart. Adapted from [44].

Fig.3 Relationship between SSLs and site-specific pollutant levels and corresponding remediation actions in USA. Adapted from [47].

Table 1 Exposure parameters and default values under different exposure scenarios. Adapted from [35-36].

暴露参数性质		目标风险水平TR	危害商水平 THQ		体重 BW/kg		平均时间 AT/a		暴露期 ED/a		暴露频率 EF/(d·a^-1)	土壤摄入率 IR/(mg·d^-1)
默认值	居民住宅	10^-6	1		15		6/70		6		350	200
	C/I	10^-6	1		70		25/70		25		225/250	100/50
	C/W	10^-6	1		70		70/特定场地		特定场地		特定场地	330
暴露参数性质		口服斜率因子SF_o/ (kg·d·mg^-1)		口服参考剂量RfD_o/ (mg·kg^-1·d^-1)		经年龄调整的土壤摄入因子IF_soil/adj/ (mg·kg^-1)		经年龄调整的皮肤因子SFS/ (mg·a·kg^-1·次^-1)		经皮肤调整的致癌斜率因子SF_ad/ (kg·d·mg^-1)		经皮肤调整的参考剂量RfD_ad/ (mg·kg^-1·d^-1)
默认值	居民住宅	特定化学物质		特定化学物质		114		360		特定化学物质		特定化学物质
	C/I	特定化学物质		特定化学物质						特定化学物质		特定化学物质
	C/W	特定化学物质		特定化学物质						特定化学物质		特定化学物质
暴露参数性质		事件发生频率 EV/(次·d^-1)		土壤皮肤黏附因子 AF_ss/(mg·cm^-2)		皮肤暴露面积 SA/cm²		皮肤吸收分数 ABS_d		亚慢性健康限值HBL_sc/ (mg·kg^-1·d^-1)		经皮肤调整的亚慢性健康限值HBL_ad/ (mg·kg^-1·d^-1)
默认值	居民住宅	1		0.2/0.07		2 800		特定化学物质
	C/I	1/0		0.2		3 300		特定化学物质
	C/W	1		0.3		3 300		特定化学物质		特定化学物质		特定化学物质

Table 2 Exposure parameters and default values for groundwater exposure. Adapted from [35,55].

暴露参数性质	目标土壤渗滤液浓度 C_w/(mg·L^-1)	土-水分配系数K_d/ (L·kg^-1)	充水土壤孔隙度θ_w	充气土壤孔隙度θ_a	干土容重 ρ_b/(kg·L^-1)	无量纲亨利常数H	渗透速率 I/(m·d^-1)	源的深度 d_s/m	暴露期 ED/a
默认值	与DAF有关	特定化学物质	0.3	1-θ_w-ρ_b/2.65	1.5	特定化学物质	0.18	特定场地	70

Table 3 Exposure parameters and default values for outdoor inhalation exposure. Adapted from [36].

暴露参数性质	吸入单位风险 URF/(m³·μg^-1)	吸入参考浓度 RfC/(mg·m^-3)		表观扩散系数 D_A/(cm²·s^-1)		暴露间隔T/s	年平均风速 U_m/(m·s^-1)		7 m风速的等效阈值 U_t/(m·s^-1)
默认值	特定化学物质	特定化学物质		特定化学物质		9.5×10⁸	4.69		11.32
暴露参数性质	植被覆盖率V		亚慢性土-气挥发系数 VF_sc/(m³·kg^-1)		亚慢性颗粒物排放因子 PEF_sc/(m³·kg^-1)			场外颗粒物排放因子 PEF_off/(m³·kg^-1)
默认值	50%		特定化学物质		特定场地			4.4×10⁸

Table 4 Distinctions between three different dispersion factors (Q/C). Adapted from [58].

各类型对比项	Q/C_wind	Q/ $C v o l$	Q/C_off
暴露情景	C/I	C/I	C/W
暴露受体	工人和园林设计师	工人和园林设计师	场外居民
挥发物/颗粒物	颗粒物	挥发物	颗粒物

Table 4 Distinctions between three different dispersion factors (Q/C). Adapted from [58].

各类型对比项	Q/C_wind	Q/ $C v o l$	Q/C_off
暴露情景	C/I	C/I	C/W
暴露受体	工人和园林设计师	工人和园林设计师	场外居民
挥发物/颗粒物	颗粒物	挥发物	颗粒物

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