Quantification and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in street dust from functional areas of Khamis-Mushait, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The aim of present work is focused on determination of the residual concentrations of 16 PAHs and their health risk assessment in selected sectors of the street dust along Khamis-Mushait, Asir area. Objectives/backgrounds: With the recent rapid development of urbanization, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in street dust pose serious problems to human health and ecological environment. Method: HPLC system (HPLC Nexera-i LC 2040 C 3D Plus Shimadzu Integrated) was used to perform the measurements following well-established USEPA 3550B method . Results: The average value of PAHs in Khamis-Mushait street dust was 2809.46 ng/g, ranging from 1250.41 to 4249.29 ng/g. Incinerator and industrial locations had the highest concentration of fossil PAHs, accounting for 69.62% of PAHs. The King Fahd Garden and Al-Hayat National Hospital regions had the highest concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs and combustion PAHs, which accounted for 41.70 and 27.46% of all PAHs, respectively. Naphthalene (NAP), acenaphthylene (ACY), and acenaphthene (ACE) were more effective range low. However, ACE was more effective range medium, and ACY, ACE, and DBA (dibenzo-anthracene) were more probable effect level. Furthermore, the effects of NAP, fluoranthene (FLT), pyrene (PYR), and benzo(a)pyren (BaP) were greater than the threshold effect level (TEL). For both kids and adults, the hazardous index (HI) was in the following order: ACE>ACY>NAP>PYR>fluorene (FLR)>FLT> benzo(ghi)perylene (BghiP)>phenanthrene (PHN)>ANT. However, total HI for noncancer risks for PAHs varied between 9.91´10-5 and 2.69´10-2 and from 9.22´10-4 to 2.50´10-1 for adults and children, respectively. Conclusion: Various approaches (geochemical indices, statistical analysis, and health risk assessment) were exploited to evaluate the levels of 16 PAHs in street dust from Abha and Khamis-Mushait City, Saudi Arabia. These values are considered safe level and insignificant to adults and children. In addition, ACE may pose risk based on acute and intermediate oral exposure. The following order from several sources was reported by the cluster analysis of dust samples: commercial>industrial>traffic.