Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The prevalence of potentially toxic heavy metals (HMs)-bearing dust in the environment is posing serious health risks to humans. Therefore, the occurrence of HMs in indoor and outdoor dust samples of elementary school’s environment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reported, and associated potential hum...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/3/464 |
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| author | Modhi O. Alotaibi Lamia A. Albedair Nahaa M. Alotaibi Mudawi M. Elobeid Hamed A. Al-Swadi Zafer Alasmary Munir Ahmad |
| author_facet | Modhi O. Alotaibi Lamia A. Albedair Nahaa M. Alotaibi Mudawi M. Elobeid Hamed A. Al-Swadi Zafer Alasmary Munir Ahmad |
| author_sort | Modhi O. Alotaibi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The prevalence of potentially toxic heavy metals (HMs)-bearing dust in the environment is posing serious health risks to humans. Therefore, the occurrence of HMs in indoor and outdoor dust samples of elementary school’s environment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reported, and associated potential human health risks were estimated in this study. Dust samples were collected from outdoor and indoor environments from eighteen elementary schools using a soft plastic brush. The mean concentrations of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in collected indoor dust samples were much higher (0.08, 3.45, 59.20, 15.20, 4.99, and 94.10 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>, respectively) than that of outdoor dust samples (0.07, 3.07, 42.20, 13.60, 4.57, and 62.40 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>, respectively), due to fans operation, opened windows, and resuspension of dust by children’s activities. The values of estimated enrichment factor revealed that both the outdoor and indoor dusts were moderately contaminated with Zn and Cu, while highly contaminated with Cd and Pb. However, the estimated potential ecological risks associated with HMs were lower. Health risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) calculations exhibited no potential risks of HMs in the schools’ dust toward children. However, health risks for children were determined in the following order: up to 6 years > 6–12 years > adults. Therefore, assessing the potential health risks posed by HM-contaminated dust in school environments is necessary to avoid any possible children’s health concerns. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:07:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-66460dc4a5b749b7be64de696f4d8961 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:07:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-66460dc4a5b749b7be64de696f4d89612023-11-24T00:27:22ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332022-03-0113346410.3390/atmos13030464Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaModhi O. Alotaibi0Lamia A. Albedair1Nahaa M. Alotaibi2Mudawi M. Elobeid3Hamed A. Al-Swadi4Zafer Alasmary5Munir Ahmad6Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Chemistry, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum North 13314, SudanSoil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaSoil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaSoil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaThe prevalence of potentially toxic heavy metals (HMs)-bearing dust in the environment is posing serious health risks to humans. Therefore, the occurrence of HMs in indoor and outdoor dust samples of elementary school’s environment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reported, and associated potential human health risks were estimated in this study. Dust samples were collected from outdoor and indoor environments from eighteen elementary schools using a soft plastic brush. The mean concentrations of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in collected indoor dust samples were much higher (0.08, 3.45, 59.20, 15.20, 4.99, and 94.10 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>, respectively) than that of outdoor dust samples (0.07, 3.07, 42.20, 13.60, 4.57, and 62.40 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>, respectively), due to fans operation, opened windows, and resuspension of dust by children’s activities. The values of estimated enrichment factor revealed that both the outdoor and indoor dusts were moderately contaminated with Zn and Cu, while highly contaminated with Cd and Pb. However, the estimated potential ecological risks associated with HMs were lower. Health risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) calculations exhibited no potential risks of HMs in the schools’ dust toward children. However, health risks for children were determined in the following order: up to 6 years > 6–12 years > adults. Therefore, assessing the potential health risks posed by HM-contaminated dust in school environments is necessary to avoid any possible children’s health concerns.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/3/464outdoor and indoor dustheavy metalsecological and human riskurbanschools |
| spellingShingle | Modhi O. Alotaibi Lamia A. Albedair Nahaa M. Alotaibi Mudawi M. Elobeid Hamed A. Al-Swadi Zafer Alasmary Munir Ahmad Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Atmosphere outdoor and indoor dust heavy metals ecological and human risk urban schools |
| title | Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Pollution Indexing and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy-Metals-Laden Indoor and Outdoor Dust in Elementary School Environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | pollution indexing and health risk assessment of heavy metals laden indoor and outdoor dust in elementary school environments in riyadh saudi arabia |
| topic | outdoor and indoor dust heavy metals ecological and human risk urban schools |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/3/464 |
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