Innovative experimental approach for spatial mapping of source-specific risk contributions of potentially toxic trace elements in PM10

Lorenzo Massimi; Eva Pietrantonio; Maria Luisa Astolfi; Silvia Canepari

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135871

Innovative experimental approach for spatial mapping of source-specific risk contributions of potentially toxic trace elements in PM₁₀

Chemosphere. 2022 Nov;307(Pt 2):135871. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135871. Epub 2022 Aug 1.

Authors

Lorenzo Massimi¹, Eva Pietrantonio², Maria Luisa Astolfi³, Silvia Canepari⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P. le Aldo Moro, 5, Rome, 00185, Italy; C.N.R. Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, Via Salaria, Km 29,300, Monterotondo St., Rome, 00015, Italy. Electronic address: l.massimi@uniroma1.it.
² Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, P. le Aldo Moro 5, Rome, 00185, Italy.
³ Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P. le Aldo Moro, 5, Rome, 00185, Italy.
⁴ Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P. le Aldo Moro, 5, Rome, 00185, Italy; C.N.R. Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, Via Salaria, Km 29,300, Monterotondo St., Rome, 00015, Italy.

PMID: 35926744
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135871

Abstract

Exposure to potentially toxic trace elements (PTTEs) in inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀) is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiorespiratory diseases. Therefore, in multi-source polluted urban contexts, a spatially-resolved evaluation of health risks associated with exposure to PTTEs in PM is essential to identify critical risk areas. In this study, a very-low volume device for high spatial resolution sampling and analysis of PM₁₀ was employed in Terni (Central Italy) in a wide and dense network (23 sampling sites, about 1 km between each other) during a 15-month monitoring campaign. The soluble and insoluble fraction of 33 elements in PM₁₀ was analysed through a chemical fractionation procedure that increased the selectivity of the elements as source tracers. Total carcinogenic risk (CR) and non-carcinogenic risk (NCR) for adults and children due to concentrations of PTTEs in PM₁₀ were calculated and quantitative source-specific risk apportionment was carried out by applying Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to the spatially-resolved concentrations of the chemically fractionated elements. PMF analysis identified 5 factors: steel plant, biomass burning, brake dust, soil dust and road dust. Steel plant showed the greatest risk contribution. Total CR and NCR, and source-specific risk contributions at the 23 sites were interpolated using the ordinary kriging (OK) method and mapped to geo-reference the health risks of the identified sources in the whole study area. This also allowed risk estimation in areas not directly measured and the assessment of the risk contribution of individual sources at each point of the study area. This innovative experimental approach is an effective tool to localize the health risks of spatially disaggregated sources of PTTEs and it may allow for better planning of control strategies and mitigation measures to reduce airborne pollutant concentrations in urban settings polluted by multiple sources.

Keywords: Chemically fractionated elements; Health risk; Particulate matter; Source apportionment; Spatial mapping.

MeSH terms

Adult
Air Pollutants* / analysis
Carcinogens / analysis
Child
Cities
Dust / analysis
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Humans
Particulate Matter / analysis
Soil
Steel / analysis
Trace Elements* / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
Carcinogens
Dust
Particulate Matter
Soil
Trace Elements
Steel