Source apportionment and health risk assessment of PM10 in a naturally ventilated school in a tropical environment

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2016 Feb:124:351-362. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.11.002. Epub 2015 Nov 18.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and potential sources of PM10 as well as assess the potential health hazards it posed to school children. PM10 samples were taken from classrooms at a school in Kuala Lumpur's city centre (S1) and one in the suburban city of Putrajaya (S2) over a period of eight hours using a low volume sampler (LVS). The composition of the major ions and trace metals in PM10 were then analysed using ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. The results showed that the average PM10 concentration inside the classroom at the city centre school (82µg/m(3)) was higher than that from the suburban school (77µg/m(3)). Principal component analysis-absolute principal component scores (PCA-APCS) revealed that road dust was the major source of indoor PM10 at both school in the city centre (36%) and the suburban location (55%). The total hazard quotient (HQ) calculated, based on the formula suggested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), was found to be slightly higher than the acceptable level of 1, indicating that inhalation exposure to particle-bound non-carcinogenic metals of PM10, particularly Cr exposure by children and adults occupying the school environment, was far from negligible.

Keywords: Chemical composition; Children; Health risk; PCA-APCS; Particulate matter; School environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Air Pollutants / analysis
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
  • Child
  • Dust / analysis
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Humans
  • Particle Size
  • Particulate Matter / analysis*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Risk Assessment
  • Schools / statistics & numerical data
  • Trace Elements / analysis
  • Tropical Climate

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Dust
  • Particulate Matter
  • Trace Elements