Source apportionment of PM10 and health risk assessment related in a narrow tropical valley. Study case: Metropolitan area of Aburrá Valley (Colombia)

Abstract

This study investigates spatio-temporal variations of PM₁₀ mass concentrations and associated metal(oid)s, δ¹³C carbon isotope ratios, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), total organic carbon (TOC) and equivalent black carbon (eBC) concentrations over a half year period (from March 2017 to October 2017) in two residential areas of Medellín (MED-1 and MED-2) and Itagüí municipality (ITA-1 and ITA-2) at a tropical narrow valley (Aburrá Valley, Colombia), where few data are available. A total of 104 samples were analysed by using validated analytical methodologies, providing valuable data for PM₁₀ chemical characterisation. Metal(oid)s concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after acid digestion, and PAHs concentrations were measured by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) after Pressurised Hot Water Extraction (PHWE) and Membrane Assisted Solvent Extraction (MASE). Mean PM₁₀ mass concentration ranged from 37.0 µg m^-3 to 45.7 µg m^-3 in ITA-2 and MED-2 sites, respectively. Al, Ca, Mg and Na (from 6249 ng m^-3 for Mg at MED-1 site to 10,506 ng m^-3 for Ca at MED-2 site) were the major elements in PM₁₀ samples, whilst As, Be, Bi, Co, Cs, Li, Ni, Sb, Se, Tl and V were found at trace levels (< 5.4 ng m^-3). Benzo[g,h,i] perylene (BghiP), benzo[b + j]fluoranthene (BbjF) and indene(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene (IcdP) were the most profuse PAHs in PM₁₀ samples, with average concentrations of 0.82-0.86, 0.60-0.78 and 0.47-0.58 ng m^-3, respectively. Results observed in the four sampling sites showed a similar dispersion pattern of pollutants, with temporal fluctuations which seems to be associated to the meteorology of the valley. A PM source apportionment study were carried out by using the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, pointing to re-suspended dust, combustion processes, quarry activity and secondary aerosols as PM₁₀ sources in the study area. Among them, combustion was the major PM₁₀ contribution (accounting from 32.1 to 32.9% in ITA-1 and ITA-2, respectively), followed by secondary aerosols (accounting for 13.2% and 23.3% ITA-1 and MED-1, respectively). Finally, a moderate carcinogenic risk was observed for PM₁₀-bound PAHs exposure via inhalation, whereas significant carcinogenic risk was estimated for carcinogenic metal(oid)s exposure in the area during the sampling period.

Keywords: Health risk assessment; Metal(oid)s; Particulate matter; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Source apportionment; δ13C carbon isotope ratios.