title: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban environments: health risk assessment by age groups.
abstract: A detailed investigation was conducted into the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with PM10 particles collected during 2012 in an urban area in Cordoba, Argentina. Their composition was studied and the lifetime lung cancer risk resulting from exposure to total and individual PAHs was estimated. Samples of PM10 were collected daily on fiber glass filters with PAHs being extracted with methylene chloride and analyzed by HPLC. Mean PAH concentrations were higher during autumn and winter. In contrast, during warm months, high ambient temperature and wind speed contributed to a decrease in the PAH ambient concentrations. The PAH levels found in the present study were within the range of those reported in other polluted urban areas. However risk factors calculated for exposure to individual and cumulative PAHs exceeded the carcinogenic benchmark level of 1×10(-6) early in childhood, implying that these PAH concentrations represent a serious risk to public health.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Chemistry Department, FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016 GCA, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Amarillo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Chemistry Department, FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016 GCA, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tavera Busso
authors.affiliation: Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Chemistry Department, FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016 GCA, Córdoba, Argentina. Electronic address: hcarreras@com.uncor.edu.
authors.forename: Hebe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carreras
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001118:Argentina; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: Carcinogenic risk; Córdoba; Particulate-phase PAHs; Seasonal variations; Temperature