title: Fractionation of airborne particulate-bound elements in haze-fog episode and associated health risks in a megacity of southeast China.
abstract: Haze caused by high particulate matter loadings is an important environmental issue. PM2.5 was collected in Nanjing, China, during a severe haze-fog event and clear periods. The particulate-bound elements were chemically fractionated using sequential extractions. The average PM2.5 concentration was 3.4 times higher during haze-fog (96-518 μg/m(3)) than non-haze fog periods (49-142 μg/m(3)). Nearly all elements showed significantly higher concentrations during haze-fog than non-haze fog periods. Zn, As, Pb, Cd, Mo and Cu were considered to have higher bioavailability and enrichment degree in the atmosphere. Highly bioavailable fractions of elements were associated with high temperatures. The integrated carcinogenic risk for two possible scenarios to individuals exposed to metals was higher than the accepted criterion of 10(-6), whereas noncarcinogenic risk was lower than the safe level of 1. Residents of a city burdened with haze will incur health risks caused by exposure to airborne metals.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Huiming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.
authors.forename: Qin'geng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: GENRI, College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, United States.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Yixuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China. Electronic address: xqian@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
authors.forename: Hongfei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.
authors.forename: Fengying
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012621:Seasons; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Bioavailability; Chemical fractionation; Haze-fog; Health risk; Metal elements