Insights into characteristics, source variation, and health risks mitigation of airborne heavy metal(loid)s in Shanghai during China International Import Expo

Abstract

To investigate characteristics, source variation and health risks mitigation of airborne heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) in Shanghai during China International Import Expo (CIIE), the continuous measurements of ten HMs were conducted at Pudong, Dianshan Lake, and Dongtan supersites on without control period (WCP) and CIIE control period (CCP). The total ten HMs (Σ10HMs) concentrations, hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) values had clear reductions from WCP to CCP, indicating effective controls of HMs in Shanghai on CCP. As, Cd, Cr, Mn, and Pb were priority harmful species. Iron and steel industry, coal burning, and traffic and non-ferrous metals industry were major sources for Σ10HMs concentrations, and controls on first two sources generally contributed highly to health risk mitigation of HMs, such as decreasing HQ values ranging from 0.0849 to 0.355 for iron and steel industry for both children and adult, and decreasing CR values ranging from 1.04 × 10−7 to 5.15 × 10−7 for children and from 4.14 × 10−7 to 2.06 × 10−6 for adult, respectively for coal burning. The findings provide policymakers with scientific information regarding characteristics, source variation and health risks mitigation of HMs in Shanghai on CIIE period.