title: Atmospheric size-resolved trace elements in a city affected by non-ferrous metal smelting: Indications of respiratory deposition and health risk.
abstract: This study examines size-resolved heavy metal data for particles sampled near an urban site affected by non-ferrous metal smelting in China with a focus on how particle sizes impact regional respiratory deposition behavior. Particles with aerodynamic diameters between 0.43 and 9 μm were collected during winter haze episodes from December 2011 to January 2012. The results showed that concentrations of individual trace elements ranged from ∼10-2-∼104ng/m3. Mass size distributions exhibit that Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ag, Cd, TI, and Pb have unimodal peak in fine particles range (<2.1 μm); Al, Ti, Fe, Sr, Cr, Co, Ni, Mo, and U have unimodal peak in coarse range (>2.1 μm), and Be, Na, Mg, Ca, Ba, Th, V, Mn, Sn, Sb, and K have bimodal profiles with a dominant peak in the fine range and a smaller peak in the coarse range. The total deposition fluxes of trace elements were estimated at 2.1 × 10-2- 4.1 × 103ng/h by the MPPD model, and the region with the highest contribution was the head region (42% ± 13%), followed by the tracheobronchial region (11% ± 3%) and pulmonary region (6% ± 1%). The daily intake of individual element for humans occurs via three main exposure pathways: ingestion (2.3 × 10-4mg/kg/day), dermal contact (2.3 × 10-5mg/kg/day), and inhalation (9.0 × 10-6mg/kg/day). A further health risk assessment revealed that the risk values for humans were all above the guidelines of the hazard quotient (1) and cancer risk (10-6), indicating that there are potential non-cancer effects and cancer risks in this area.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lyu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. Electronic address: zhangkai@craes.org.cn.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
authors.forename: Fahe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Tiantao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
authors.forename: Zilong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: lixiang@fudan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D008669:Metallurgy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010316:Particle Size; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Aerosol; Health risk; Heavy metal; Multiple Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD); Respiratory deposition