Exposures and Potential Risks in the Neighborhoods of 5 Different Restaurants Emitting Particulate Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Abstract

PP-30-096 Background/Aims: Cooking is a very important air pollutant source in urban areas. Especially in oriental countries, multifarious cooking practices may result in significant emission of particulate pollutants such as particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pPAHs), some of which are probable carcinogens. Most restaurants in Taiwan do not equip with emission control devices. Emission of cooking fume results in constant pollutant exposure of neighbors in densely populated urban areas. Methods: This work assessed pPAH levels in the breathing zones of neighborhood residents close to the exhaust outlets of 5 restaurants with different cooking practices, namely, an international fried chicken franchise, a local fried chicken store, a Chinese mom-and-pop place, a Cantonese-style barbeque restaurant, and a Korean barbeque store. A high-volume sampler was used to collect samples under 2 conditions, with or without the operation of the control devices. In all, 21 species of PAH were analyzed with LC/MS/MS. Results: Preliminary results showed that the concentrations of total PAHs were 1.1–2.5 ng/m3 and 1.1–14.8 ng/m3 with and without the control devises, respectively. For the international fried chicken franchise and the local fried chicken store, it was obvious that the control devices did not reduce PAH levels. As for the Cantonese-style barbeque restaurant, the control device can reduce the end-of-pipe PAH level down to 16%. Without the control device, the Cantonese-style barbeque restaurant had the highest PAH level near their exhaust outlet, ie, 14.8 ng/m3. Based on benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalent factors, PAH exposure levels are in the range of 0.01–0.8 ng-TEQ/m3. The potential health risks of neighbors of such exposure were one order of magnitude higher than risks from pPAH exposure during commuting. Conclusion: Current control devices had no effects to reduce pPAH levels from fried chickens. In addition, the resulting health risks with/without control devices were all higher than those from traffic emission. Cooking emission deserved more attentions in researches and regulations.