Health risk assessment modeling of the oil spill emissions (due to airborne particulate matter)

The aim of this study was to estimate the dose of nanoparticles delivered to the human respiratory system when aerosolized from seawater polluted by a crude oil slick (with and without dispersant). The seawater is subject to pilot-scale breaking waves. The seawater is contaminated with slicks of crude oil only or slicks of crude oil and dispersant (Corexit 9500A) mixture. The dispersant to oil ratio (DOR) is 1:25. All calculations presented in the dataset are related to one breathing cycle. Emission measurements were obtained from a horizontal breaking wave simulator for the slick thickness of 0.5 mm. A scanning mobility particle sizer, SMPS model 3938 (TSI Inc.), with an electrostatic classifier model 3082 and a condensation particle counter model 3787 was used to detect sub-micron particles. An impactor with an orifice diameter of 0.071 cm installed at the inlet of the classifier removes super-micron particles. This system measures particles with electrical mobility-driven diameters ranging from 10 to 400 nm. The dose estimation of the deposited PM in different regions of the human respiratory system was facilitated using the multiple path particle dosimetry model (MPPD Ver. 3.04), which is originally developed by Applied Research Associates Inc., Raleigh, NC, USA.