The impact of heating season factors on eight PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and cancer risk in Beijing

Sci Total Environ. 2019 Oct 20:688:1413-1421. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.149. Epub 2019 Jun 11.

Abstract

In 2015, 443 atmospheric PM2.5 samples were collected at five sampling sites in Beijing. The concentrations of PM2.5-bound PAH8 (Chr, BaA, BbF, BkF, B[a]P, DBA, BghiP, and IND) were determined via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The annual concentration of PM2.5-bound PAH8, lifetime cancer risk, and the increasing value due to heating season factors (heating and meteorological conditions) were analyzed. The results showed that the sum concentration of PM2.5-bound PAH8 during heating season was 72.6 ng/m3 and higher than the non-heating season concentration of 4.77 ng/m3. The annual concentration was 10.6 ng/m3, which increased 5.83 ng/m3 due to heating season factors. The B[a]P annual concentration was 1.67 ng/m3 and higher than the limit of 1 ng/m3, which was 15.2 times that of non-heating season. Diesel vehicles and gasoline vehicles were the primary PAH8 sources during non-heating season, while the mixed sources of diesel vehicles, gasoline vehicles, and combustion were the dominant PAH8 sources during heating season. The most significant health hazard pollutant was B[a]P, which accounted for 72%, 74%, and 69% of the B[a]P equivalent concentration (B[a]Peq) of PAH8 during heating season, non-heating season, and throughout 2015, respectively. The lifetime cancer risk was 2.67 × 10-6, which increased 1.36 × 10-6 due to heating season factors. Therefore, heating season factors nearly doubled the annual concentration of PM2.5-bound ∑PAH8 and lifetime cancer risk. The results indicated that to protect human health, it is very important to control PM2.5-bound ∑PAH8 emissions during heating season, especially B[a]P emissions.

Keywords: B[a]P; Heating season factors; Lifetime cancer risk; PM(2.5)-bound PAH(8).

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data*
  • Beijing / epidemiology
  • Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data*
  • Heating
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Particulate Matter / analysis*
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
  • Seasons

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Particulate Matter
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons