Metals And Cancer Risk Of Airborne ParticulateMatter In The First And Second IndustrialComplex Areas Of Daejeon City, Korea

Abstract

To understand the metal distribution characteristics in a rapidly urbanized area, we collected and analyzed PM samples for the metal concentrations in the first and second Industrial Complex Areas of Daejeon city, Korea. Using our measurement data for various metal species, we examined both the extent of metal pollution in the study area and the temporal variabilities in their distribution characteristics. The extent of metal pollution in the study area was in general comparable to those typically observed from a strongly polluted urban area, if comparison was made with the results of previous studies. Examinations of their temporal distribution patterns indicated that most of the metals tend to exhibit seasonal peaks during spring (or winter) seasons, similarly to the observed pattern for PMs. In order to assess the cancer risk posed by airborne trace metals, a Monte Carlo Analysis has been attempted in this study. The results of Monte Carlo Analysis made at 95% upper confidence limit (UCL) showed that the 95th percentile risks for men and women were 1.2 and 1.1 times higher than an acceptable risk of 10 -5 , respectively. The probabilities at which those risks may exceed the acceptable risk were estimated to be 8 and 6%, respectively; however, they exceeded as high as 95 and 94%, respectively, at the minimum acceptable risk of 10 -6 . It was found that approximately 90% of total cancer risk originated from human carcinogens such as arsenic and hexavalent chromium.