Seasonal variation, source apportionment, and cancer risk assessment of PM2.5-bound phthalates: a case study in Taiyuan, China

Taiyuan in the Shanxi Province of China has experienced significant air pollution from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the past years. Phthalate esters (PAEs), which are common semi-volatile chemical molecules in PM2.5 and that humans can breathe into their bodies, can have serious health consequences. This study looked at the levels, composition, sources, and incremental lifetime lung cancer risk factors for PM2.5-bound PAEs in Taiyuan. A QuEChERS extraction technique and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to evaluate 16 PAE compounds. All samples contained PAEs, and the overall PAE concentration ranged from 114 to 864 ng/m(3). The most often detected compound was bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), and summer PAE concentrations were substantially greater than winter ones. A positive matrix factorization model showed that the main sources of PAE release were the indoor environment, industry source, automobile-related source, and construction source. The places within 300 km of Taiyuan were thought to have a significant impact on PAEs, according to the analysis of the prospective source contribution function. The calculated incremental lifetime lung cancer risk of DEHP exposure was 0.76 cases per million people. More of the risk of lung cancer has been attributed to indoor air pollution (53.2%). These findings will help us understand the features of PAE contamination and offer a solid scientific foundation for minimizing PAE pollution in the Loess Plateau.