The present study focused on the estimation of the personal dose of airborne particles using an exposure dose model (ExDoM2). Input data from three European cities (Athens, Kuopio, Lisbon) were selected to implement the model that calculates the deposited dose and retention of particles in the respiratory tract, the mass transferred to the oesophagus and the absorption to blood as well as the dose for five particle-bound metals. Model results showed that after one day exposure higher deposited dose in the respiratory tract was obtained for Lisbon as a direct consequence of the higher PM concentration measured in this city. Moreover, the activity profile and the physical characteristics of the exposed subject had strong impact on the estimated deposited dose. Thus, light activity corresponded to higher deposited dose compared to no activity as well as an adult male exhibited higher dose, both findings associated with increased inhalation rate. Regarding the internal dose for particle-bound metals higher dose for four out of the five metals was obtained in lungs followed by the muscles for As, the gastrointestinal tract for Cr, the other tissues for Mn, the intestines for Cd and finally for Pb higher dose was found in bones and blood.

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The objective of the current study is the determination of the personal exposure and dose of ambient particulate matterbound metals in human tissues at five European cities. The accumulation in human body of lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd), in five European cities (Athens, Seville, Rome, Frankfurt and Zabrze) was calculated using an exposure and dose assessment model, ExDoM, and a pharmacokinetic model, PBPK. The study subjects are adult Caucasian nonsmoker males. It was calculated that the highest dose of particulate matter is received from a resident of Seville, due to the higher ambient PM 10 levels in the city compared to the other sites. First, the current study showed that the European Union thresholds of particle-bound Pb, Cd and As concentrations were not exceeded in the cities under study. As regard the dose of Pb and As the higher dose is calculated for Athens and Seville, respectively. The highest dose of Cd is found at Zabrze, due to the high industrial activity in the city. It was calculated that after one day of exposure, the highest accumulation of Pb occurred in blood, muscles and bones. Furthermore, the highest deposition of Cd occurred in the lungs and intestines and for As in the lung and muscles. The heavy metals intake, calculated in this study, was very low in comparison with the recommended WHO levels for heavy metals intake from all types of exposure (inhalation, ingestion).

The eastern Mediterranean region is strongly influenced by long-range transported particulate matter such as desert dust from northern Africa. To investigate the dynamics of Saharan dust events and their origin, satellite images from the MODIS spectroradiometer of NASA's satellites Terra and Aqua, and back trajectories analysis of the HYSPLIT model were combined together with continuous ground-based field data. Field PM 10 and PM 2.5 measurements were performed in the period 2003-2013 at the Akrotiri monitoring station on the island of Crete (Greece). Furthermore, the mineralogical composition of a small number of samples was determined by X-ray powder diffraction, whereas elemental particle composition analysis was performed on the dust samples collected using the ICP-MS technique for a series of elements. The annual average percentage of days with Sahara dust outbreaks in the region of western Crete (Akrotiri station) was 9.3% for the period 2003-2013. Excluding the PM 10 exceedances caused by Sahara dust events, the average PM 10 monthly concentrations are decreased by 20.5% during the 8-month period November-June, with higher PM 10 concentration reduction (29.9%) in the period February-April. Mineralogical analysis showed that illite was the most abundant mineral identified in all samples, followed by quartz and calcite. Gypsum was detected only in the dry sample. Moreover, the elemental particle composition analysis showed that collected dust originated from Africa deserts.