Receptor modelling and risk factors of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmospheric particulate matter at an IGP outflow location (island of the bay of Bengal—Bhola, Bangladesh)

Abstract

The research intended to find the atmospheric concentrations, sources, and health risks of 16 particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the Indo Gangetic Plain (IGP) outflow location for the first time. A total of thirty-six samples of total suspended particulate (TSP) matters were collected with a low volume sampler on quartz filters. PAHs were extracted from filters with dichloromethane (DCM) while purification processes were conducted using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and concentrations of PAHs were determined by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The summation of the yearly average values for the total PAHs concentrations was 58.8 ng m-3; meanwhile, the highest concentration for the total PAHs was obtained during winter (81.26 ng m-3), whereas the lowest was on monsoon (15.52 ng m-3) illustrates strong seasonal variations. The effect of transboundary pollution was significant during the winter season. Moreover, the five rings PAHs contributed significantly (54.0%) compared to others. In addition, diagnostic ratio analysis preliminary pointed out that most of the PAHs were emitted from fuel oil and biomass combustion. Furthermore, the PMF model revealed that the sources of PAHs were gasoline exhaust (25%), diesel engine combustion (30%), natural gas emission (23%), and biomass burning (22%). The Bnz(a)Peq factor of individual PAHs varies between 8.0×10-4 ng m-3 [Phenanthrene] and 5.70 ng m-3 [Benzo(a)pyrene] with a summation of 13.34 ng m-3 for total. The cancer risk of total PAHs was 11.6 times higher than the European Union (EU) guideline value.