Elemental Concentrations in Roadside Dust Along Two National Highways in Northern Vietnam and the Health-Risk Implication

Abstract

There is a need to assess the risk of exposure to metals via roadside dust in Vietnam where many people live along the road/highways and are constantly exposed to roadside dust. In this study, we collected dust samples at 55 locations along two major Highways in north-east Vietnam, which passed through different land use areas. Samples were sieved into three different particle sizes and analyzed for concentrations of eight metals using a X-ray fluorescence instrument. The concentrations and environmental indices (EF, I ) of metals were used to evaluate the degree of pollution in the samples. Among different land uses, industrial areas could be highly polluted with heavy metals in roadside dust, followed by commerce and power plants. Additionally, the traffic density probably played an important role; higher concentrations were observed in samples from Highway No. 5 where traffic is several times higher than Highway No. 18. According to the risk assessment, Cr poses the highest noncarcinogenic risk even though the health hazard index values of assessed heavy metals in this study were within the acceptable range. Our assessment also found that the risk of exposure to heavy metals through roadside dust is much higher for children than for adults.

Pilot study on assessment of trace metals in PM10 at road sites in Bac Giang province, Vietnam

“…There have been number of studies analyzing the particulate matter pollution in Vietnam [20][21][22]. PM 10 and the trace metals bounded with PM 10 have been previously researched in Hanoi [19,23] and Ho Chi Minh [24].…”

“…However, there is no investigation on characterization of PM 10 and its chemical compositions at road sites in Bac Giang province. According to our best knowledge, only [13,24] reported the level of metal contamination in street dust in Hanoi and roadside dust along the highways in the North of Vietnam [20,21]. These studies showed that the high concentration of metals in dust observed from downtown area and the high traffic density.…”

Identification of the spatial distributions, pollution levels, sources, and health risk of heavy metals in surface dusts from Korla, NW China

“…Heavy metal elements are harmful environmental pollutants with characteristics of high toxicity, concealment, persistent existence, and bio-accumulation [4,5]. Pollution of urban surface dust with heavy metals is a serious environmental issue when it poses a threat to the human health and urban ecoenvironment [6,7]. Through the circulation and migration among various ecosystems, heavy metals accumulating in surface dust can be resuspended in the atmosphere or flushed into the surrounding water system and ultimately cause potential risks [8].…”

“…Numerous studies have been carried out on heavy metals in surface dusts in super cities or towns all over the word in recent decades, whose spatial distribution patterns [11], source identification [12], ecological risk assessment [13], and health risk assessment [5] were conducted. Some researches focused on the dusts on the urban roads [1] and national highways [6]. Some other researches reported the pollution risks of heavy metals in surface dust from urban living areas [14], shops [15], bus stations [16], urban parks [17], schools [3,18], different functional urban areas [19], driving schools [20], and gas stations [21].…”

Evaluating the effects of atmospheric environment on children’s health in Hanoi, Vietnam

“…In the latter study, the risk of exposure to metals via roadside dust in Hanoi, Vietnam was assessed. It was concluded that the risk of exposure to heavy metals though roadside dust is much higher for children than for adults (356,357).…”