Human health risk associated to particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels and their relation with preponderant sources in Gran La Plata, Argentina

Abstract

Levels of suspended particulate matter (PM) of both fractions PM 10 and PM 2.5 in ambient air were monitored in three areas of Gran La Plata: industrial, urban, and residential (2017-2019). Associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) to PM were also determined and possible emission sources were identified. Assessment of health risk to PM exposure and associated compounds was realized. Results showed a decrease in levels of PM 10 in each area along the period studied, especially in the industrial area. Decreases in PM 2.5 levels were also observed in urban and residential areas over the years, although the trend is not as marked as with PM 10 levels. Then, PM 2.5 levels in the industrial area have remained practically constant. The 89% of both PM 10 and PM 2.5 annual mean exceeds the WHO reference values. The presence of most of the 16 US EPA priority PAHs studied was found with a detection frequency greater than 60% and it was possible to identify the importance of the contributions of vehicular emissions as predominant sources of PAH emission. From the calculations of the risk of contracting cancer throughout life (LCR), in the case of adults, the US EPA limits were not complied in the industrial and urban areas and in both fractions of PM. From the evaluation of the burden of disease (EBD), the calculated relative risks of mortality were very similar for the studied districts, being the relative risk in La Plata slightly lower, about 3-5%, than those in Berisso and Ensenada.Keywords PM . PAHs . Vehicular emissions . Lifetime cancer risk . Environmental burden of disease .

Estimating the contribution of mobile sources to ambient particulate matter: an indirect methodology

“…On the other hand, air pollution data in Asian and Latin American countries are scattered and of variable quality, making it di cult to implement regulatory strategies to reduce air pollution concentrations and protect public health (Hsu et al, 2013). In addition, most monitoring networks are designed to determine the impact of stationary sources (Alonso et al, 2010;RMCAB, 2022;SINCA, 2022), however, in recent years different authors have highlighted the strong contribution of mobile sources to air pollution levels (Giuliani et al 2021;Moeinaddini et al, 2017;Shahbazi et al, 2016;Shankar & Gabi, 2022).…”