Carcinogenic Potency of Airborne Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Relation to the Particle Fraction Size

Gordana Pehnec and Ivana Jakovljević
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Gordana Pehnec: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Jakovljević: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-25

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are bound to particulate matter can have adverse effects on human health. Particle size plays an important role in assessing health risks. The aim of this study was to compare concentrations of PAHs bound to particle fractions PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and PM 1 , as well as to estimate their carcinogenic potency and relative contributions of the individual PAHs to the carcinogenic potency in relation to the size of the particle. Measurements of ten PAHs were carried out in 2014 at an urban location in the northern part of Zagreb, Croatia. 24-h samples of the PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and PM 1 particle fraction were collected over forty days per season. Carcinogenic potency of PAHs was estimated by calculating benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentrations while using three different toxic equivalence factor (TEF) schemes. The total carcinogenic potency (TCP) and percentage contributions differed significantly depending on the TEF scheme used. The lowest PAH mass concentrations and TCPs were in summer and the highest in winter. The contributions of individual PAHs to the sum of PAH mass concentrations remained similar in all fractions and seasons, while in fractions PM 10–2.5 and PM 2.5–1 they varied significantly. Road traffic represented the important source of PAHs in all fractions and throughout all seasons. Other sources (wood and biomass burning, petroleum combustion) were also present, especially during winter as a consequence of household heating. The highest contribution to the TCP came from benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo(ah)antrachene, indeno(1,2,3,cd)pyrene, and benzo(b)fluoranthene (together between 87% and 96%) in all fractions and seasons. In all cases, BaP showed the highest contribution to the TCP regardless relatively low contributions to the mass of total PAHs and it can be considered as a good representative for assessing the carcinogenicity of the PAH mixture. When comparing the TCP of PAHs in PM 10 and PM 2.5 fractions, it was found that about 21–26% of carcinogenic potency of the PAH mixture belonged to the PM 2.5 fraction. Comparison of TCP in PM 2.5 and PM 1 showed that about 86% of carcinogenic potency belonged to the PM 1 fraction, regardless of the TEF scheme used.

Keywords: BaP toxic equivalency factors; particle fractions PM 10 , PM 2.5 and PM 1; seasonal variations; urban location; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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