Human Health Risk Assessment with Heavy Metal Exposure from in locations around Power Generation Using Dust, Hair, and Blood Biomonitoring
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24086/cuesj.v10n1y2026.pp87-99Keywords:
Heavy metal exposure, Health risk assessment, Power generation, Human biomonitoring, Geo-accumulation indexAbstract
Unreliable grid electricity in rapidly developing cities such as Erbil, Iraq, has led to heavy reliance on diesel power generators. However, the occupational health risks of chronic heavy metal exposure for workers at these facilities remain poorly quantified. This study, therefore, assessed contamination levels and human uptake of lead (Pb), mercury, arsenic, nickel, zinc, copper, and cobalt using an integrated environmental–biological monitoring approach. Dust, scalp hair, and blood samples were collected from 60 workers at 20 local power plants and from 15 rural residents (controls). Metal concentrations were measured by an X-ray fluorescence device, and pollution was evaluated using the Geo‑accumulation Index (Igeo) and Pollution Load Index (PLI). Power plant dust showed extreme Zn contamination (Igeo = 5.20) and heavy Cu contamination (Igeo = 3.70), with a PLI of 5.03 versus 0.65 in controls. Workers had significantly higher metal levels in hair and blood than controls (P ≤ 0.001). Strong positive correlations between dust and biological samples (e.g., Pb hair–dust: r = 0.878) confirmed that airborne dust is a major exposure pathway. Workers with >11 years of service accumulated substantially higher metal burdens than those with 1–5 years. These findings demonstrate that occupational exposure to power generators poses a serious, cumulative health risk. We recommend installing dust suppression and ventilation systems, providing personal protective equipment, and implementing routine biomonitoring of blood and hair to detect early bioaccumulation and prevent long‑term toxicity.
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