Source apportionment of the carcinogenic potential of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) associated to airborne PM10 by a PMF model

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2014-02, Vol.21 (3), p.2064-2076
• Main Authors: Callén, M. S, Iturmendi, A, López, J. M, Mastral, A. M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; autumn; Benzo(a)pyrene; carcinogenicity; Carcinogens; Carcinogens - analysis; Coal; Combustion; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Factories; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Human exposure; Humans; Industrial areas; Industrial plants; Linear Models; Lung cancer; lung neoplasms; Models, Chemical; Natural gas; Particulate matter; Particulate Matter - analysis; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Regression analysis; Research Article; risk; Seasons; Spain; Standard deviation; Studies; Toxicity; Vehicle emissions; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; winter
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2116-9

In order to perform a study of the carcinogenic potential of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), benzo(a)pyrene equivalent (BaP-eq) concentration was calculated and modelled by a receptor model based on positive matrix factorization (PMF). Nineteen PAH associated to airborne PM10 of Zaragoza, Spain, were quantified during the sampling period 2001–2009 and used as potential variables by the PMF model. Afterwards, multiple linear regression analysis was used to quantify the potential sources of BaP-eq. Five sources were obtained as the optimal solution and vehicular emission was identified as the main carcinogenic source (35 %) followed by heavy-duty vehicles (28 %), light-oil combustion (18 %), natural gas (10 %) and coal combustion (9 %). Two of the most prevailing directions contributing to this carcinogenic character were the NE and N directions associated with a highway, industrial parks and a paper factory. The lifetime lung cancer risk exceeded the unit risk of 8.7 × 10⁻⁵ per ng/m³ BaP in both winter and autumn seasons and the most contributing source was the vehicular emission factor becoming an important issue in control strategies.