Trace elements and human health risks assessment of finer aerosol atmospheric particles (PM1)

The present study investigated PM1 (aerosol particles with an aerodynamic diameter <= 1.0 mu m) mass concentrations and sixteen (Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, S, Ti, and Zn) PM1-related trace elements. PM1 samples were collected in an anthropized area of international attention close to oil/gas pre-treatment plants in Agri Valley (Southern Italy). The PM1 mass concentrations varied from 3 to 16 mu g/m(3). The decreasing pattern of the trace element concentrations was S > Ca > Na > K approximate to Mg approximate to Fe > Al > Li > Cr > Zn > Ti > Cu > Ni approximate to Mn > Pb approximate to Cd. Anthropogenic local emissions such as biomass burning, vehicular traffic, and industrial sources mainly related to oil/gas pre-treatment plants were identified by the principal component analysis. Further, air mass back-trajectory analyses suggest an important contribute to the long-range transport on PM1 at Agri Valley. The carcinogenic (Cd, Cr(VI), Ni, and Pb) and non-carcinogenic (Cd, Cr(VI), Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) health risks both for children and for adults were assessed using the United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) methods considering inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact pathway. Chromium (VI) posed the highest carcinogenic risk for both children and adults. The integrated carcinogenic risks were respectively 3.45 x 10(-5) and 1.38 x 10(-4) for children and adults indicating that attention should be paid for carcinogenic health effects. Nickel posed the highest non-carcinogenic risk for children through inhalation pathway. The integrated non-carcinogenic risk showed a value higher than 1 highlighting that Cd, Cr(VI), Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn may cause cumulative non-carcinogenic health effect for children from inhalation exposure.