PM<sub>2.5</sub>-Bound Heavy Metals in Southwestern China: Characterization, Sources, and Health Risks

The health risks of PM<sub>2.5</sub>-bound heavy metals have attracted extensive attention recently. In order to evaluate those deleterious effects on human health more accurately, and to propose proper measures to reduce health risks of air pollution, the conduction of a source-specific...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan Han, Zhichao Wang, Jiawei Zhou, Hanxiong Che, Mi Tian, Huanbo Wang, Guangming Shi, Fumo Yang, Shumin Zhang, Yang Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:Atmosphere
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/7/929
Description
Summary:The health risks of PM<sub>2.5</sub>-bound heavy metals have attracted extensive attention recently. In order to evaluate those deleterious effects on human health more accurately, and to propose proper measures to reduce health risks of air pollution, the conduction of a source-specific health risk assessment is necessary. Based on daily collected PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples at different functional sites during winter 2019 in a megacity Chongqing, China, combining source apportionment results from PMF and health risk assessment from the U.S. EPA, the source-specific health risks from PM<sub>2.5</sub>-bound heavy metals were given. Six types of PM<sub>2.5</sub> sources have been identified, coal burning (25.5%), motor vehicles (22.8%), industrial emissions (20.5%), biomass burning (15.9%), dust (7.8%), and ship emissions (7.5%). Results showed that the total hazard quotient (HQ) was 0.32 and the total carcinogenic risks (CR) were 2.09 × 10<sup>−6</sup> for children and 8.36 × 10<sup>−6</sup> for adults, implying certain risks for local residents. Industrial emissions related with Cr posed both the highest carcinogenic risk and noncarcinogenic risk (contributing 25% CR and 36% HQ). Coal combustion (associated with Cr, As, and Mn) contributed 15.46% CR and 20.64% HQ, while biomass burning and motor vehicles shared 19.99% and 19.05% of the total CR, respectively. This work indicated that health risks of air pollution sources were the combined effects of the source contribution and chemical components. In order to control the health risks of PM<sub>2.5</sub> to the local residents, the priority of targeted emission sources should be adopted for industrial emissions, biomass burning, vehicle emissions, and coal combustion sources.
ISSN:2073-4433