Epidemiological Study on Health Risk Assessment of Exposure to PM2.5-Bound Toxic Metals in the Industrial Metropolitan of Rayong, Thailand

Sawaeng Kawichai, Susira Bootdee (), Sopittaporn Sillapapiromsuk and Radshadaporn Janta
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Sawaeng Kawichai: Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Susira Bootdee: Chemical Industrial Process and Environment Program, Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (Rayong Campus), Rayong 21120, Thailand
Sopittaporn Sillapapiromsuk: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, Lampang Rajabhat University, Lampang 52100, Thailand
Radshadaporn Janta: Atmospheric Research Unit, National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, Chiang Mai 53000, Thailand

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 22, 1-17

Abstract: The concentrations of PM2.5 and metallic elements were measured in Rayong during the dry season (November 2021 to April 2022). The mean PM2.5 concentration was 20.1 ± 10.9 µg/m 3 (4.9–52.3 µg/m 3 ). Moreover, the percentages of days when those PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the daily WHO and US-EPA NAAQS limit were 56.8% and 10.2%, respectively. However, the levels did not exceed 50 µg/m 3 , which is the limit of the 24 h standard defined by the PCD in Thailand. The dominant heavy metals and elements in PM2.5 samples were Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn, which constituted 70%. In Rayong, the PCA results showed that industrial emissions (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) and traffic emissions (As, Cd, Cr, K, and Ni) were the major sources of PM2.5-bound heavy metals. Exposure to toxic metals in PM2.5 through the inhalation pathway in Rayong obviously entails a high potential risk of cancer (>10 −4 ) based on the total lung cancer risk (TCR inh ). It was found that the TCR inh values of Cr for combined age groups were higher than 10 −6 , which implies a high cancer risk in Rayong.

Keywords: fine particulate matter (PM2.5); health risk assessment; hazard quotient (HQ); individual lifetime cancer risk (CR inh ) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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