Particle-Associated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Atmosphere of Hefei, China: Levels, Characterizations and Health Risks

Airborne PM2.5 and PM10 samples were collected in summertime (August 2015) and wintertime (December 2015-January 2016) in an industrial complex area in Hefei, China. The average concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 (90.5 and 114.5 mu g/m(3), respectively) were higher than the regulated levels of China National Ambient Air Quality Standard (grade I) and the WHO Ambient (outdoor) Air Quality and Health Guideline Value. Seasonal variations in PM2.5/PM10 indicated that the secondary sources of particulate matters, formed by gas-to-particle conversion, were enhanced in summer due to longer time of solar radiation and higher temperature. The total concentrations of PM2.5- and PM10-associated PAHs were 5.89 and 17.70 ng/m(3) in summer as well as 63.41 and 78.26 ng/m(3) in winter, respectively. Both PM2.5- and PM10-associated PAHs were dominated by 4- to 6-ring PAHs, suggesting that the fossil fuel combustion and vehicle emissions were the primary sources of PAHs in atmospheric particulate matters in Hefei. The total concentration of PAHs had a slightly higher correlation coefficient with PM2.5 (R = 0.499, P < 0.05) than PM10 (R = 0.431, P > 0.05), indicating the higher association tendency of PAHs with PM2.5. The coefficient of divergence analysis showed that the compositions of PAH were quite different between summer and winter. Total BaP equivalent concentration (BaP-TEQ) for particulate-bound PAHs in winter (58.87 ng/m(3)) was higher than that in summer (5.53 ng/m(3)). In addition, particulate-bound PAHs in winter had an inhalation cancer risk (ICR) value of 2.8 x 10(-3), which was higher than the safe range (10(-4)-10(-6)).