Abstract
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the pollution level (gaseous and particle phase) in the public facilities for the PAHs, non-regulated materials, forecast the risk level by the health risk assessment (HRA) and propose the guideline level. PAH assessments through sampling of particulate matter of diameter < 2.5 <TEX>${\mu}m$</TEX> (<TEX>$PM_{2.5}$</TEX>). The user and worker exposure scenario for the PAHs consists of 24-hour exposure scenario (WIES) assuming the worst case and the normal exposure scenario (MIES) based on the survey. This study investigated 20 PAH substances selected out of 32 substances known to be carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic. The risk assessment applies major toxic equivalency factor (TEF) proposed from existing studies and estaimates individual Excess Cancer Risk (ECR). The study assesses the fine dusts (<TEX>$PM_{2.5}$</TEX>) and the exposure levels of the gaseous and particle PAH materials for 6 spots in each 8 facility, e.g. underground subway stations, child-care facilities, elderly care facilities, super market, indoor parking lot, terminal waiting room, internet caf<TEX>$\acute{e}$</TEX> (PC-rooms), movie theater. For internet caf<TEX>$\acute{e}$</TEX> (PC-rooms) in particular, that marks the highest <TEX>$PM_{2.5}$</TEX> concentration and the average concentration of 10 spots (2 spots for each cafe) is 73.3 <TEX>${\mu}g/m^3$</TEX> (range: 6.8-185.2 <TEX>${\mu}g/m^3$</TEX>). The high level of <TEX>$PM_{2.5}$</TEX> seen in internet cafes was likely due to indoor smoking in most cases. For the gaseous PAHs, the detection frequency for 4-5 rings shows high and the elements with 6 rings shows low frequency. For the particle PAHs, the detection frequency for 2-3 rings shows low and the elements with 6 rings show high frequency. As a result, it is investigated that the most important PAHs are the naphthalene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene from the study of Kim et al. (2013) and this annual study. The health risk assessment demonstrates that each facility shows the level of <TEX>$10^{-6}-10^{-4}$</TEX>. Considering standards and local source of pollution levels, it is judged that the management standard of the benzo (a)pyrene, one of the PAHs, shall be managed with the range of 0.5-1.2 <TEX>$ng/m^3$</TEX>. Smoking and ventilation were considered as the most important PAHs exposure associated with public facility <TEX>$PM_{2.5}$</TEX>. This study only estimated for inhalation health risk of PAHs and focused on the associated cancer risk, while multiple measurements would be necessary for public health and policy.
Highlights
The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is the most representing hazardous material among the polycyclic organic matter (US EPA, 2007, 1993; NIEHS, 1998)
The prior study of Kim et al (2013) shows that the PM2.5 concentration of the internet cafe reaches 110.0 μg/m3 on average, much higher than that of the study. Comparing such values to the PM2.5 guideline of the WHO (average 25 μg/m3 for 24 hours, 10 μg/m3 on avalue adopted from US EPA (1997) b c dvalue adopted from questionnaire Survey evalue adopted from Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (2004) fvalue adopted from Korea National Statistical Office
The study of Kim et al (2013) and the annual study show that the naphthalene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene are the most crucial PAHs and in particular, Kim et al (2013) shows that the acenaphthene records the high concentration among the particle PAHs, meaning that the gaseous PAH concentration distribution ranges 34.5-55.9%, lower gaseous concentration distribution compared to the study
Summary
The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is the most representing hazardous material among the polycyclic organic matter (US EPA, 2007, 1993; NIEHS, 1998). It was reported that the sources of pollution of the PAHs under the outdoor environment were vehicle combustion (Shah et al, 2005), civil and industrial coal combustion and petroleum asphalt (Zhu et al, 2012). The information on the source of pollution for indoor air is insufficient and it is known that the indoor sources of the PAHs are smoking (Mitra and Ray, 1995) and heating. It is generally reported that the indoor PAH concentration with insufficient information on the source of pollution is higher than the outdoor air with well-known source of pollu-
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