Source Apportionment and Risk Estimation of Heavy Metals in PM10 at a Southern Vietnam Megacity

Abstract

Airborne particulate matter (PM) pollution is a global concern, in which partitioned heavy metals (HMs) could impose great risks to residents living in metropolitan areas. In this study, PM10 samples were collected in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) – a megacity in southern Vietnam – and analyzed for 11 HMs to investigate their concentration profiles, perform source apportionment and estimate their risk factors. Results showed that atmospheric HMs concentration decreased following the order of Al > Fe > Sr > Mn> Pb > Cu > Cr > V > Ni > Sb > As. Traffic activities were likely the major cause of rush-hour peaks for most HMs in which Cr, As, and Cu showed > 20% increases in their relative proportions. For seasonal variation, most HMs showed a dry > rainy pattern as a result of washout by higher rainfall in the rainy season while crustal elements (Al, Sr, Mn) showed a rainy > dry pattern and might be explained by the difference in air mass transport modulating by monsoon activities. The positive-matrix factorization (PMF) model revealed 5 primary sources for HMs, including traffic emission, shipping activity and combustion activity, fugitive dust re-suspension and waste incineration. Combustion activity might enrich As, Sb, Pb levels at HCMC, and As contributed half (50.8%) to the potential ecological risk (PER) in the city. Besides, the current Cr level could impose a carcinogenic effect towards children in HCMC (total carcinogenic index > 10-4) while Mn might impose intolerable non-carcinogenic risk (hazard index > 1). This study provides information on local air quality status for scientific and regulatory perspectives as well as helps fill the information gap and update the understanding of air pollution in South and Southeast Asia.