Journal Article

Occurrence and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in dust of an emerging industrial city in Iran: implications for human health

Hajiali Begloo, Raziyeh, Khamoshi, Seyyed Erfan, Aminiyan, Milad Mirzaei, Aminiyan, Farzad Mirzaei, Kalantzi, Olga-Ioanna, Etesami, Hassan

2021

Overview

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) bounded to street dust are a severe environmental and human health danger. This study provides preliminary information on the abundance of PAHs in street dust from Rafsanjan city, Iran, where industrial emissions are high and data are lacking. Seventy street dust samples were collected from streets with different traffic loads. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Standard Methods 8270D and 3550C were used for the measurement of PAHs using GC mass spectroscopy. The total concentration of PAHs was 1443 ng g −1 , with a range of 1380–1550 ng g −1 . Additionally, the concentration of carcinogenic PAHs (∑ carc PAHs) ranged from 729.5 to 889.4 ng g −1 , with a mean value of 798.1 ng g −1 . Pyrene was the most abundant PAH, with an average concentration of 257 ng g −1 . Source identification analyses showed that vehicle emissions along with incomplete combustion and petroleum were the main sources of PAHs. The ecological risk status of the studied area was moderate. Spatial distribution mapping revealed that the streets around the city center and oil company had higher PAH levels than the other sectors of Rafsanjan. The results indicated that dermal contact and ingestion of contaminated particles were the most important pathways compared to inhalation. The mean incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was 1.4 × 10 −3 and 1.3 × 10 −3 for children and adults, respectively. This implies potentially adverse health effects in exposed individuals. The mutagenic risk for both subpopulations was approximately 18 times greater than the one recommended by USEPA. Our findings suggest that children are subjected to a higher carcinogenic and mutagenic risk of PAHs, especially dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DahA), bounded to street dust of Rafsanjan. Our study highlights the need for the development of emission monitoring and control scenarios.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adult / Anthracene / anthracenes / Aquatic Pollution / breathing / carcinogenicity / Carcinogens / Child / Children / China / City centres / combustion / Dust / Dust - analysis / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecological risk assessment / Ecotoxicology / Emission analysis / Emissions control / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental Monitoring / Environmental protection / Environmental science / Health risks / human health / Humans / Industrial emissions / Ingestion / Inhalation / Iran / mass spectrometry / Mass spectroscopy / mutagens / oils / petroleum / Pollution monitoring / Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons / Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis / Research Article / Respiration / risk / Risk Assessment / Spatial distribution / Streets / Subpopulations / traffic / United States Environmental Protection Agency / Vehicle emissions / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control