title: Lung cancer risk of airborne particles for Italian population.
abstract: Airborne particles, including both ultrafine and supermicrometric particles, contain various carcinogens. Exposure and risk-assessment studies regularly use particle mass concentration as dosimetry parameter, therefore neglecting the potential impact of ultrafine particles due to their negligible mass compared to supermicrometric particles. The main purpose of this study was the characterization of lung cancer risk due to exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and some heavy metals associated with particle inhalation by Italian non-smoking people. A risk-assessment scheme, modified from an existing risk model, was applied to estimate the cancer risk contribution from both ultrafine and supermicrometric particles. Exposure assessment was carried out on the basis of particle number distributions measured in 25 smoke-free microenvironments in Italy. The predicted lung cancer risk was then compared to the cancer incidence rate in Italy to assess the number of lung cancer cases attributed to airborne particle inhalation, which represents one of the main causes of lung cancer, apart from smoking. Ultrafine particles are associated with a much higher risk than supermicrometric particles, and the modified risk-assessment scheme provided a more accurate estimate than the conventional scheme. Great attention has to be paid to indoor microenvironments and, in particular, to cooking and eating times, which represent the major contributors to lung cancer incidence in the Italian population. The modified risk assessment scheme can serve as a tool for assessing environmental quality, as well as setting up exposure standards for particulate matter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, FR, Italy; International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street 2, 4001 Brisbane, Qld., Australia. Electronic address: buonanno@unicas.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buonanno
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, FR, Italy. Electronic address: giovinco@unicas.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giovinco
authors.affiliation: International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street 2, 4001 Brisbane, Qld., Australia. Electronic address: morawska@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morawska
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, FR, Italy. Electronic address: stabile@unicas.it.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stabile
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007558:Italy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: ELCR; Heavy metals; Lung cancer; Monte Carlo method; PAHs; Risk analysis; Ultrafine particle exposure