Multipathway Health Risk Assessment of Power Plant Water Discharges

The chemicals released with water discharges from a fossil-fueled power plant may present health risks through a variety of exposure pathways including ingestion of drinking water, fish consumption and dermal absorption while swimming. The Total Risk of Utility Emissions (TRUE) model provides a framework that allows one to assess the multipathway health risks associated with water discharges from power plants. The TRUE model formulation is presented with particular emphasis on the treatment of water discharges. The application of the TRUE model to a coal-fired power plant is described and the potential health risks by chemical and exposure pathway are discussed.