Application of Health Risk Assessment Method for Accidental Leakage of Hazardous Chemicals

Objective To evaluate the public health risks of the Chongqing Kaixian blowout accident by using the health risk assessment method established in this study.Methods On the basis of the generally used four-step evaluation process,combined with the accident characteristics and the related research results,the health risk assessment method of accidental leakage of hazardous chemicals was established.The characteristics and the intensity of the health damage effects caused by H2S were obtained from the pollutant characteristics database.The total exposures were calculated by real-time pollutant concentrations.The probability of health injury was estimated by combining the threshold method with the probability equation method.The number of casualties was calculated by combing with the demographic information.Results The actual total casualties of Xiaoyang and Gaowang villages were 212.The evaluated number of death was 364 by using the parameter of center for chemical process safety,American institute of chemical engineers,and 176 by using the parameter of the Netherlands organization for applied scientific research.The relative error between the evaluated results and the actual consequences was 71.7% and 17.0% respectively.Conclusion The risk of death caused by H2S can be predicted more accurately by using the parameters provided by the Netherlands organization for applied scientific research.The health risk assessment method of accidental leakage of hazardous chemicals can be used to provide useful information for emergency preparedness,emergency response and emergency relief.