Source-specific risks of synchronous heavy metals and PAHs in inhalable particles at different pollution levels: Variations and health risks during heavy pollution

Yueming Sun; Yingze Tian; Qianqian Xue; Bin Jia; Yang Wei; Danlin Song; Fengxia Huang; Yinchang Feng

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.106162

Source-specific risks of synchronous heavy metals and PAHs in inhalable particles at different pollution levels: Variations and health risks during heavy pollution

Environ Int. 2021 Jan:146:106162. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106162. Epub 2020 Oct 15.

Authors

Yueming Sun¹, Yingze Tian², Qianqian Xue¹, Bin Jia¹, Yang Wei¹, Danlin Song³, Fengxia Huang³, Yinchang Feng¹

Affiliations

¹ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Urban Ambient Air Particulate Matter Pollution Prevention and Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
² State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Urban Ambient Air Particulate Matter Pollution Prevention and Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China. Electronic address: 015058@nankai.edu.cn.
³ Chengdu Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Chengdu 610015, China.

PMID: 33069984
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106162

Abstract

Synchronous heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀) were measured during 2009-2012 and 2015-2016 in a Chinese megacity (Chengdu) to understand the variations in source-specific health risks during haze episodes. Samples were divided into four mass concentration levels: PM₁₀ ≤ 150 μg m^-3 (L1), 150 μg m^-3 < PM₁₀ ≤ 250 μg m^-3 (L2), 250 μg m^-3 < PM₁₀ ≤ 350 μg m^-3 (L3), and PM₁₀ > 350 μg m^-3 (L4). The percentages of some HMs and PAHs (accounting for PM₁₀) decreased from L1 to L4, indicating that they exhibited lower growth rates than other species during heavy pollution. The combined cancer risk (R) for HMs and PAHs was higher at L1 and L4, and the combined non-cancer risk (HQ) was significantly high at L4. The HMs and PAHs combined source-specific risk apportion (HP-SRA) model was employed to quantify the source-specific risks. The relative contributions of (i) diesel and gasoline vehicles to the R, and (ii) crustal dust to the HQ increased during heavy pollution (L3 and L4). The relative contribution of industrial source declined from 81% (L1) to 60% (L4) for the HQ, and from 49% (L1) to 36% (L4) for the R, implying that the control of industrial emissions during heavy pollution events could alleviate risk growth as a co-benefit of controlling PM mass concentration. However, the risks associated with industrial emissions should also be considered during 'clean' days.

Keywords: Heavy metals; Heavy pollution; PM(10); Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Source apportionment; Source-specific risks.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollutants* / toxicity
Environmental Monitoring
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Metals, Heavy* / toxicity
Particulate Matter / analysis
Particulate Matter / toxicity
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons* / analysis
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons* / toxicity
Risk Assessment
Vehicle Emissions / analysis
Vehicle Emissions / toxicity

Substances

Air Pollutants
Metals, Heavy
Particulate Matter
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Vehicle Emissions