title: Ambient air levels and health risk assessment of benzo(a)pyrene in atmospheric particulate matter samples from low-polluted areas: application of an optimized microwave extraction and HPLC-FL methodology.
abstract: A new methodology involving a simple and fast pretreatment of the samples by microwave-assisted extraction and concentration by N2 stream, followed by HPLC with fluorescence detection, was used for determining the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) in atmospheric particulate matter (PM10 fraction). Obtained LOD, 1.0 × 10(-3) ng/m(3), was adequate for the analysis of benzo(a)pyrene in the samples, and BaP recovery from PAH in Fine Dust (PM10-like) certified reference material was nearly quantitative (86%). The validated procedure was applied for analyzing 115 PM10 samples collected at different sampling locations in the low-polluted area of Extremadura (Southwest Spain) during a monitoring campaign carried out in 2011-2012. BaP spatial variations and seasonal variability were investigated as well as the influence of meteorological conditions and different air pollutants concentrations. A normalized protocol for health risk assessment was applied to estimate lifetime cancer risk due to BaP inhalation in the sampling areas, finding that around eight inhabitants per million people may develop lung cancer due to the exposition to BaP in atmospheric particulates emitted by the investigated sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Extremadura, Av. de Elvas, s/n, 06006, Badajoz, Spain, magalam@unex.es.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de la Gala Morales
authors.forename: Fernando Rueda
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Holgado
authors.forename: Ma Rosario Palomo
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.forename: Lorenzo Calvo
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Blázquez
authors.forename: Eduardo Pinilla
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008872:Microwaves; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012621:Seasons; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene