Source identification and health risk assessment of atmospheric PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Jamshedpur, India

Abstract

Occurrence and persistence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment pose a serious human health risk. In this study, the sources and characteristics of 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with the emission of particulate matter (PM) from semi-urban, urban, and rural sections of Jamshedpur City, India was investigated using advanced gas chromatography. The results of sampling conducted during winter and summer seasons suggest that the total PAHs average concentration level were higher in the winter season than the concentration level in the summer season. During the winter season, the average concentration of total PAHs from semi-urban, urban, and rural sites were found to be 47.73 ± 10.65, 37 ± 9.56, and 109.06 ± 18.21 ng/m3 respectively while in summer season, the concentration was observed to be 39.61 ± 6.87, 81.14 ± 13.30 and 36.33 ± 9.97 ng/m3 over semi-urban, urban and rural site respectively. Of all the PAHs, Phenanthrene (Phe) was among the most abundant PAH in both winter and summer seasons over the entire study site. Diagnostic Ratio Analysis (DRA) & Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that major emission sources of PAHs were; the vehicles, petrogenic, and biomass and coal combustion sources over semi-urban, urban, and rural site. BaP & DBahA were used as the surrogate compounds in assessing PAHs health risk. The Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) value over the semi-urban, urban, and rural site was calculated as 10.25 × 10−6, 23.09 × 10−6 and 18.86 × 10−6 respectively.