1. Case Study for the Predictive Environmental Risk Assessment of Hexamethylenetetramine Release to the Yodo River during a Massive Tsunami Attack
- Author
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Shogo Hamamoto, Nozomu Yoneyama, Lisa Ito, and Akihiro Tokai
- Subjects
lcsh:Hydraulic engineering ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Watershed area ,Geography, Planning and Development ,0207 environmental engineering ,Water supply ,Context (language use) ,02 engineering and technology ,Aquatic Science ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,lcsh:Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes ,lcsh:TC1-978 ,water treatment systems ,020701 environmental engineering ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Water Science and Technology ,Environmental risk assessment ,Hydrology ,geography ,lcsh:TD201-500 ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,business.industry ,risk assessment ,Inlet ,Natech (Natural hazard-triggered technological accidents) ,Environmental science ,Water treatment ,Water quality ,tsunami ,disinfection by-product ,Risk assessment ,business - Abstract
Untreated hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) was discharged into the Tone River in the central area of Japan, and the risk management plan in the watershed area has been strengthened because HMT is the precursor of formaldehyde (FA) regulated by Japanese water supply law. The release of HMT could occur not only in steady but also in unsteady environmental conditions. In this context, no quantitative environmental risk assessments have dealt with the combined events of FA precursor outflow and natural disasters, such as a massive tsunami attack. In this study, we estimated the time course changes of HMT concentrations at the near water treatment plant (WTP) intakes due to tsunami run-up in the river after HMT discharge from facilities along the river during a massive tsunami attack, then potential ecological and health impacts were estimated. This method has a strong analytical ability to reveal the relationship between wave source and inland water run-up in consideration of 3D density flow. For ecological risk, the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) was employed. We found that HMT concentration would not reach a level of concern even after the accident. For potential health risk in terms of the possible maximum inlet concentration of HMT at the WTP, the FA formation amount was 5.3 × 10โ2 mg/L, which was below the water quality standard.
- Published
- 2021