Abstract
PurposeAir pollution in settlements is one of the most important factors affecting human health. While urban gardening and the consumption of home-grown vegetables have become more and more popular, several studies establish the risk of consuming vegetables exposed to toxic air pollutants, especially polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, these studies mostly concern the risk in larger cities or in industrial areas while much less information is available in rural environments.MethodsIn our study, small settlements were selected for a pot accumulation study. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) plants were exposed for a 2-month period; PAH concentrations were determined both from the vegetable samples and pot soils.ResultsIn the lettuce samples, the concentration of total PAHs was in the range of 9.1 (Litér) and 185 μg/kg dry wt (Hajmáskér), in the soil samples in the range of 31.6 (Litér) and 595.1 μg/kg wt (Hárskút). Four ring PAHs showed the highest tendency to accumulate in the majority of soil samples.ConclusionPAH concentrations in some of the sampled villages were comparable to results reported from relatively polluted regions in the world. Source appointment revealed that biomass burning and fossil fuel usage were the major sources of PAHs in rural environment; in addition, the study highlighted how important it could be to analyze individual pollution sources.
Highlights
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in settlements are mainly derived from incomplete combustion in motor vehicles; another major source is domestic heating (Szabó Nagy and Szabó 2017)
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) plants were exposed for a 2-month period; polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations were determined both from the vegetable samples and pot soils
In the lettuce samples, the concentration of total PAHs was in the range of 9.1 (Litér) and 185 μg/kg dry wt (Hajmáskér), in the soil samples in the range of 31.6 (Litér) and 595.1 μg/kg wt (Hárskút)
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in settlements are mainly derived from incomplete combustion in motor vehicles; another major source is domestic heating (Szabó Nagy and Szabó 2017). A wide range of PAHs has proven highly carcinogenic or mutagenic: for example, the so-called CarPAHs (Srogi 2007), or the more extended list of 16 priority. PAHs identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the 1970s. PAHs occur in the gaseous phase (mainly PAHs with higher vapor pressure) and bound to particles (mainly PAHs with lower vapor pressure). Atmospheric PAHs are transported to the soil, providing an additional exposure route for plants. Possible uptake mechanisms can be summarized as follows: gas exchange; particle deposition (from air) and uptake (from soil) (Kulhánek et al 2005)
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