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Characterization of PAHs and metals in indoor/outdoor PM10/PM2.5/PM1 in a retirement home and a school dormitory

Hassanvand, M. S ; Sharif University of Technology | 2015

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.001
  3. Publisher: Elsevier , 2015
  4. Abstract:
  5. In the present work, we investigated the characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s in indoor/outdoor PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 in a retirement home and a school dormitory in Tehran from May 2012 to May 2013. The results indicated that the annual levels of indoor and outdoor PM10 and PM2.5 were much higher than the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The most abundant detected metal(loid)s in PM were Si, Fe, Zn, Al, and Pb. We found higher percentages of metal(loid)s in smaller size fractions of PM. Additionally, the results showed that the total PAHs (ΣPAHs) bound to PM were predominantly (83-88%) found in PM2.5, which can penetrate deep into the alveolar regions of the lungs. In general, carcinogenic PAHs accounted for 40-47% of the total PAHs concentrations; furthermore, the smaller the particle size, the higher the percentage of carcinogenic PAHs. The percentages of trace metal(loid)s and carcinogenic PAHs in PM2.5 mass were almost twice as high as those in PM10. This can most likely be responsible for the fact that PM2.5 can cause more adverse health effects than PM10 can. The average BaP-equivalent carcinogenic (BaP-TEQ) levels both indoors and outdoors considerably exceeded the maximum permissible risk level of 1ng/m3 of BaP. The enrichment factors and diagnostic ratios indicated that combustion-related anthropogenic sources, such as gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles as well as natural gas combustion, were the major sources of PAHs and trace metal(loid)s bound to PM
  6. Keywords:
  7. Indoor/outdoor air ; Metals ; PM ; School dormitory ; Aromatic hydrocarbons ; Lead ; Natural gas vehicles ; Promethium ; School buildings ; Trace elements ; Adverse health effects ; Indoor/outdoor ; Natural gas combustion ; Nursing homes ; PAHs ; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) ; World Health Organization ; Aluminum ; Diesel fuel ; Gasoline ; Iron ; Metalloid ; Natural gas ; Silicon ; Trace metal ; Zinc ; Air quality ; Anthropogenic source ; Atmospheric pollution ; Carcinogen ; Environmental risk ; Health impact ; Indoor air ; Air ; Air analysis ; Ambient air ; Carcinogenicity ; Chemical composition ; Combustion ; Controlled study ; Home ; Outdoor air ; Priority journal ; Risk assessment ; School ; Analysis ; Indoor air pollution ; Statistics and numerical data ; Tehran [Iran] ; Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Iran ; Particle Size ; Particulate Matter ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Retirement
  8. Source: Science of the Total Environment ; Volume 527-528 , September , 2015 , Pages 100-110 ; 00489697 (ISSN)
  9. URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969715300590