Quantitative assessment of human health risk posed by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban road dust.
Among the numerous pollutants present in urban road dust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the most toxic chemical pollutants and can pose cancer risk to humans. The primary aim of the study was to develop a quantitative model to assess the cancer risk from PAHs in urban road dust based on traffic and land use factors and thereby to characterise the risk posed by PAHs in fine (<150μm) and coarse (>150μm) particles. The risk posed by PAHs was quantified as incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), which was modelled as a function of traffic volume and percentages of different urban land uses. The study outcomes highlighted the fact that cancer risk from PAHs in urban road dust is primarily influenced by PAHs associated with fine solids. Heavy PAHs with 5 to 6 benzene rings, especially dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (D[a]A) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in the mixture contribute most to the risk. The quantitative model developed based on traffic and land use factors will contribute to informed decision making in relation to the management of risk posed by PAHs in urban road dust.
State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing 100085, China; Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), GPO Box 2434, Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia.
Yukun
Y
Ma
Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), GPO Box 2434, Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia; College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518060 Shenzhen, China. Electronic address: liuan@szu.edu.cn.
An
A
Liu
Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), GPO Box 2434, Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia.
Prasanna
P
Egodawatta
Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), GPO Box 2434, Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia.
James
J
McGree
Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), GPO Box 2434, Brisbane 4001, Queensland, Australia.
Ashantha
A
Goonetilleke
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004391:Dust; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment
D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbon pollution; Incremental lifetime cancer risk; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Risk assessment; Urban road dust