Abstract
This scoping study presents an investigation of the total and bioaccessible mercury concentrations in road dust (RD) from three international urban sites, where a one-off sampling campaign was conducted at each. This was done to address the hypothesis that the matrix in which mercury is found influences its ability to become accessible to the body once inhaled. For that purpose, the samples were analysed for total and pulmonary bioaccessible mercury and the data compared to the chemical structure of individual particles by SEM. The results obtained from this study suggest that a high mercury content does not necessarily equate to high bioaccessibility, a phenomenon which could be ascribed to the chemical character of the individual particles. It was found that the Manchester samples contained more pulmonary soluble mercury species (as determined by elemental associations of Hg and Cl) in comparison to the other two samples, Curitiba, Brazil, and Johannesburg, South Africa. This finding ultimately underlines the necessity to conduct a site-specific in-depth analysis of RD, to determine the concentration, chemical structure and molecular speciation of the materials within the complex matrix of RD. Therefore, rather than simply assuming that higher bulk concentrations equate to more significant potential human health concerns, the leaching potential of the metal/element in its specific form (for example as a mineral) should be ascertained. The importance of individual particle behaviour in the determination of human health risk is therefore highlighted.
Highlights
Mercury pollution is of particular interest because of its documented effects on human health and children in utero (Maramba et al 2010).Neurological and behavioural disorders are commonly observed as a result of mercury inhalation (Hsi et al 2014; Sondreal et al 2004)
There is a significant anthropogenic input worldwide, with major sources including fossil fuel combustion, metal production and mining, cement production and various other industries (Mahub et al 2017). Mercury in these anthropogenically contaminated sites is mostly present as elemental mercury vapour with studies showing a range of 75–99% abundance, with the remainder being present as methyl mercury and the less abundant inorganic mercury (WHO 1990; European Commission 2001)
A similar pattern was observed with the Manchester samples, where the \ 38 lm and 63–38 lm fractions were similar, with medians of 190 lg kg-1 and μg/kg
Summary
Mercury pollution is of particular interest because of its documented effects on human health and children in utero (Maramba et al 2010).Neurological and behavioural disorders are commonly observed as a result of mercury inhalation (Hsi et al 2014; Sondreal et al 2004). There is a significant anthropogenic input worldwide, with major sources including fossil fuel combustion, metal production and mining, cement production and various other industries (Mahub et al 2017). Mercury in these anthropogenically contaminated sites is mostly present as elemental mercury vapour with studies showing a range of 75–99% abundance, with the remainder being present as methyl mercury and the less abundant inorganic mercury (WHO 1990; European Commission 2001). The Environment Agency (UK) has set soil guideline values of 1.0 mg kg-1 for elemental mercury in residential soils (Environment Agency 2009). There is, evidence to suggest a more realistic guideline for chronic toxicity is 130 lg kg-1 (Tipping et al 2010)
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