Concentrations, Source Apportionment and Health Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Household Dust Samples, the Case of City of Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract

Individuals spend a lot of time indoors; thus, they can generally be exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as teratogens, mutagens, and carcinogens with the potential of environmental and also human health risks. Therefore, the current study was conducted for the analysis, source identification, and health risk assessment of PAHs in household dust samples of the city of Khorramabad, Lorestan province, Iran in 2020. In so doing, 50 household dust samples were collected from 10 sampling sites. After extraction of the analytes, the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method was used to determine the PAHs contents in the samples. Sixteen priority PAHs were detected and quantified in the samples. The median values of ∑16PAHs were found to be 18.4 µg kg−1. Although based on the results of molecular diagnostic ratios (MDRs), PAH compounds could be originated from both petrogenic and pyrogenic sources, the pyrogenic sources including smoking, natural gas combustion, and traffic prevailed. Total incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) of children and adults with average values of 2.07E-04 and 1.83E-04, were both classified in the 'high critical value’ category. The cancer risk levels via dermal contact (1.15E-04) and direct ingestion (9.19E-05), indicated that both routes greatly contributed to the cancer risk for children. Similarly, the risk value of dermal contact (1.17E-04) and direct ingestion (6.58E-05) were found to be important pathways that adults could be exposed to contaminated dust. Accordingly, the mean values of ILCRs ranked in the following order: dermal contact > direct ingestion > inhalation for both cases (ie, children and adults). In conclusion, to maintain the health of both the man and the environment, it is recommended that regular and periodic analyses of these pollutants in different environmental samples including soil, sediment, dust, particulate matter, air, water, and tissues of living organisms in be performed to help prevent exposure risks of PAHs.