Metals In PM2 Research Articles

Epidemiological Study on Health Risk Assessment of Exposure to PM2.5-Bound Toxic Metals in the Industrial Metropolitan of Rayong, Thailand

The concentrations of PM2.5 and metallic elements were measured in Rayong during the dry season (November 2021 to April 2022). The mean PM2.5 concentration was 20.1 ± 10.9 µg/m3 (4.9–52.3 µg/m3). Moreover, the percentages of days when those PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the daily WHO and US-EPA NAAQS limit were 56.8% and 10.2%, respectively. However, the levels did not exceed 50 µg/m3, which is the limit of the 24 h standard defined by the PCD in Thailand. The dominant heavy metals and elements in PM2.5 samples were Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn, which constituted 70%. In Rayong, the PCA results showed that industrial emissions (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) and traffic emissions (As, Cd, Cr, K, and Ni) were the major sources of PM2.5-bound heavy metals. Exposure to toxic metals in PM2.5 through the inhalation pathway in Rayong obviously entails a high potential risk of cancer (>10−4) based on the total lung cancer risk (TCRinh). It was found that the TCRinh values of Cr for combined age groups were higher than 10−6, which implies a high cancer risk in Rayong.

Reproductive toxicity and underlying mechanisms of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on Caenorhabditis elegans in different seasons

Although numerous studies have investigated that atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can be toxic to environmental organisms, the research on the reproductive toxicity of PM2.5 is limited, and the key toxic components and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this work, PM2.5 samples of four seasons in Nanjing from March 1, 2021, to February 28, 2022 were collected and the chemical components were analyzed. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was employed to conduct the toxicological testing. The reproductive toxicity of PM2.5 to C. elegans in different seasons was evaluated by multiple reproductive endpoints. Exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 significantly decreased the brood size and the number of fertilized eggs in utero. PM2.5 exposure also increased the number of germ cell corpses and caused abnormal expression of apoptosis-related genes (ced-9, ced-4, and ced-3), which confirmed that PM2.5 induced germline apoptosis. In addition, PM2.5 exposure significantly increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in C. elegans and the fluorescence intensity of HUS-1 protein in of transgenic strain WS1433. Meanwhile, the expression of genes related to DNA damage (cep-1, clk-2, egl-1, and hus-1) and oxidative stress (mev-1, isp-1, and gas-1) also significantly altered in C. elegans, suggesting induction of DNA damage and oxidative stress. According to Pearson correlation analyses, DNA damage and oxidative stress were significantly correlated with multiple reproductive endpoints in C. elegans. Thus, it was speculated that PM2.5 caused reproductive dysfunction and germ cell apoptosis in C. elegans may be by inducing ROS and DNA damage. In addition, heavy metals in PM2.5 were significantly correlated with multiple endpoints at physiological and biochemical, suggesting that the heavy metals might be an important contributor to the reproductive toxicity induced by PM2.5.

Dynamic landscape of multi-elements in PM2.5 revealed by real-time analysis

Metal components in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are closely associated with many adverse health outcomes. Dynamic changes of metals in PM2.5 are critical for risk assessment due to their temporal variations. Herein, an online method for real-time determination of multi-elements (As, Cd, Cs, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sn, Tl, and V) in PM2.5 was established by directly introducing air samples into inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Meanwhile, a quantified method using metal standard aerosols (Cr, Mo, and W) and high time resolution for 3.3 min online measurement was developed and validated. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.001–6.30 ng/m3 for different metals. Subsequently, the real-time contents of multi-elements in PM2.5 for 12 h over 33 days were measured at different air qualities. Temporal variations of crustal elements like Fe, Mg are similar to PM2.5, whereas toxic elements (Pb, As and Cd) have upward trends at dusk. This denoted the association with various emission sources and different exposure concentrations of metals. In addition to the acquisition of real-time information, online analysis of multi-elements in PM2.5 is beneficial for atmospheric monitoring and provides critical insights into the different exposure risks of metals in PM2.5 at varying times.

Soluble trace metals associated with atmospheric fine particulate matter in the two most populous cities in Vietnam

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCM), the most populous cities in Vietnam, have received increasing global attention because of their poor air pollution status. As part of the recent UK-Vietnam 2-Cities project, the concentrations of trace metals in fine particulate matter have been characterized. 24-hour samples of PM2 were collected at 2 sites in Hanoi and 3 sites in HCM during two 4-week periods in September/October 2018 and March 2019. The soluble fraction of 15 trace metal(oid)s (Fe, Al, Mn, Ti, Zn, V, Cu, Ni, Co, Cd, Pb, Th, Cr, As, and Sb) bound to PM2 were analyzed by ICP-MS. The results show that Zn was the most abundant soluble metal in PM2 in both cities, with very large numbers of road vehicles (e.g. tyre wear) likely contributing in both cities and non-ferrous metal production being a substantial additional source in Hanoi. Fe and Al, derived from crustal sources, were the dominant metals after Zn. Most trace metals concentrations in Hanoi were higher than in HCM, especially toxic metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr and As. V and Ni were the only two metals having higher concentrations in HCM than in Hanoi, likely due to shipping emissions (combustion of heavy fuel oil) that strongly affect the air quality in HCM. Coal-power plants and non-ferrous metal production are likely to be the major sources of trace metals in Hanoi. Health risk assessment shows that a high carcinogenic risk exists for inhalation exposure of soluble trace metals bound to PM2 in both cities.

Metal exposure and oxidative stress biomarkers in subway workers

Background and aim: Rich in metals, subway particles could induce more oxidative stress (OS) than ambient PM. We aimed at investigating relationships between subway particle exposure and OS biomarkers measured in urine and exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Methods: Nine subway workers (station agents, locomotive operators and security guards) were monitored during their 6-h shifts over two consecutive weeks. Time-weighted average mass concentrations expressed as PM10, PM2.5 and their metal concentrations were determined. Urine and EBC samples were collected pre- and post-shift to measure metals, malondialdehyde, 8-isoprostane, and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanine concentrations. Associations were first explored using correlation and hierarchical cluster analysis. The identified clusters were then investigated using linear mixed regression models adjusted for age and sex, with participant's ID as random effect. Results: PM concentrations varied significantly between jobs. Locomotive operators had the highest exposure (189 and 137 μg/m3 for PM10 and PM2.5, respectively). The most abundant metals in PM were Fe, Cu, Al and Zn; in EBC, Zn, Cu and Ni; and in urine, Si, Zn, Mo, Ti, and Cu. Regarding OS biomarkers, in EBC, only malondialdehyde was detected. Urinary malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanine concentrations varied according to the weekday and workers’ age. Zn or Ni exposure clusters were identified. Modeled urinary Zn concentration was negatively associated with urinary malondialdehyde and positively associated with malondialdehyde in EBC. PM10 Zn was also negatively associated with urinary malondialdehyde and 8-isoprostane, but with borderline significance. PM10 Ni was negatively associated with urinary 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanine. In models adjusted for all exposure metrics of a given metal, associations remained between urinary Zn and malondialdehyde and between urinary Ni and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanine. Conclusion: These findings suggest Zn and Ni influence in OS reflected by urinary malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanine concentrations. Further investigations based on larger datasets and in-depth time-series analysis are needed to understand the underlying mechanism of these associations.

Characteristics, sources, and health risks of trace metals in PM2.5

ObjectivesThe concentrations and characteristics of trace metals in PM2.5 vary in time and location and can result in various health impacts. The current study aimed to investigate the characteristics and distributions of PM2.5-bound trace metals and further identify the possible sources and conduct health risk assessment in Zhejiang, China. MethodsPM2.5 samples were collected during 2015–2019 at seven monitoring sites in Zhejiang, China. Twelve trace metals in ambient PM2.5 were determined. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was applied to quantify the potential sources of PM2.5. The chemical daily intake (CDI) via ingestion, exposure concentration (EC) via inhalation and dermally absorbed dose (DAD) via contact were estimated to assess the health risks. ResultsThe seasonal variations of both PM2.5 and trace metals showed the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. Among the studied trace metals, Aluminum (Al), Lead (Pb) and Manganese (Mn) had the highest concentrations. Soil dust, coal combustion and traffic-related emissions were the main sources of the air pollution at most sites in Zhejiang. Health risk assessment showed that ingestion was the primary exposure pathway, and children were more likely to be affected by ambient trace metals. The non-carcinogenic risks of arsenic (As), Pb, Antimony (Sb) and Thallium (Tl) as well as carcinogenic risks of As, Pb and nickel (Ni) should be paid more attention to. ConclusionsPM2.5-bound trace metals are of great public health concern, particularly related to the potential health risks of As, Pb and Tl. Corresponding emission control measures of metal elements in PM2.5 should be considered.

Inhalation Bioaccessibility and Risk Assessment of Metals in PM2.5 Based on a Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry Model in the Smelting District of Northeast China.

PM2.5 can deposit and partially dissolve in the pulmonary region. In order to be consistent with the reality of the pulmonary region and avoid overestimating the inhalation human health risk, the bioaccessibility of PM2.5 heavy metals and the deposition fraction (DF) urgently needs to be considered. This paper simulates the bioaccessibility of PM2.5 heavy metals in acidic intracellular and neutral extracellular deposition environments by simulating lung fluid. The multipath particle dosimetry model was used to simulate DF of PM2.5. According to the exposure assessment method of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the inhalation exposure dose threshold was calculated, and the human health risk with different inhalation exposure doses was compared. The bioaccessibility of heavy metals is 12.1–36.2%. The total DF of PM2.5 in adults was higher than that in children, and children were higher than adults in the pulmonary region, and gradually decreased with age. The inhalation exposure dose threshold is 0.04–14.2 mg·kg−1·day−1 for the non-carcinogenic exposure dose and 0.007–0.043 mg·kg−1·day−1 for the carcinogenic exposure dose. Cd and Pb in PM2.5 in the study area have a non-carcinogenic risk to human health (hazard index < 1), and Cd has no or a potential carcinogenic risk to human health. A revised inhalation health risk assessment may avoid overestimation.

Characterization and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in PM2.5 in Xiamen Port

PM2.5 samples at Haitian and Songyu container terminals in Xiamen Port were collected in summer and autumn/winter in 2020 and analyzed for 20 elements to investigate their temporal-spatial distribution features, sources, and health risk. The results showed that the levels of PM2.5 were relatively low and did not show significant spatial and diurnal differences. Ca and Si were the main crustal elements, and Zn and Mn were the main heavy metals in PM2.5. Compared with GB 3095-2012 guidelines, Cr(Ⅵ) was in the range of 27.4-28.6 times above the standard. Under the influence of monsoon and port throughput, the concentrations of some elements in summer were higher than those in autumn/winter. Significant diurnal variations were observed for Cu, Zn, SO2, and NO2 but not for V and Ni. Industrial sources were identified as the primary contributor (55.2%-59.4%), followed by traffic (28.7%-31.3%), ship emissions (7.1%-7.7%), and sea salt plus construction dust (4.8%-5.8%). The results of health risk assessment showed that heavy metals in PM2.5in Xiamen Port had potential carcinogenic risk (ECR>1(10-5) to people living near the port, and Cr(Ⅵ), V, and As together accounted for 97.3%-97.5% of the total risks; however, the non-carcinogenic risk was negligible (HI<1), and the major contributors were V, Mn, Ni, and As (89.6%-91.2%). The relative contributions of each contributor to ECR was in the order of traffic (47.2%-49.4%)>industrial (23.8%-24.2%)>ship emissions (16.9%-20.8%)>sea salt plus construction dust (5.7%-12.1%), and the relative contribution to HI was in the order of traffic (38.7%-42.3%)>industrial (24.5%-28.2%)>ship emissions (24.1%-27.2%)>sea salt plus construction dust (5.4%-9.6%).

Concentration Level and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; in Ambient Air of Makkah City, Saudi Arabia

Concentration Level and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; in Ambient Air of Makkah City, Saudi Arabia

The toxicity emissions and spatialized health risks of heavy metals in PM2.5 from biomass fuels burning

The widespread and high use of biomass fuels (BF) by farmers contribute to air pollution-associated health impacts. However, the toxicity and spatial health risks of heavy metals in PM2.5 from BF burning, especially for elements (Cr, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) listed as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in China, remain unknown on the national scale. This study tested the emission factors (EFs) of 18 heavy metals in PM2.5 for 23 BF sources throughout China. Then, complete emission results for heavy metals in PM2.5 from BF burning in China were estimated using the measured EFs and a field survey. Finally, the GEOS-Chem and Risk Quotients models were utilized to calculate the spatialized health risks from heavy metals in PM2.5 for the first time, including the gridded hazard index (HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR). Overall, the measured total EFs of 18 heavy metals in PM2.5 for 23 BF sources ranged from 5.13 mg kg−1 to 24.14 mg kg−1, and the sum EFs of hazardous elements (Cr, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) varied from 0.45 mg kg−1 to 7.26 mg kg−1. The results indicated that the emissions of Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cu in PM2.5 from BF burning were the highest, with emissions of 1440.4, 801.8, 434.8, 399.5, and 397.4 Mg, respectively, in 2014. The emissions of other hazardous elements (Cr, As and Hg) in PM2.5 from BF burning were 203.7, 68.67, and 6.36 Mg, respectively. Compared with other anthropogenic sources, the emissions of As (66.7 Mg) from domestic coal burning were similar to those from BF burning, while the emissions of Cr (98.7 Mg) and Cd (102.7 Mg) were much lower for coal. Former studies might have underestimated the toxicity of Cr, As, and Cd by ignoring the emissions from BF burning. Spatially, the hazardous elements exhibited higher emission intensities in the Sichuan Basin, Northeast China Plain, and North China Plain, which exceeded 200, 55, 350, 5 and 350 g yr−1 for Cr, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, respectively. The monthly emissions of hazardous elements were the highest in winter (January, February, and December), accounting for 41% of the total emissions. On the national scale, the gridded health risk of hazardous elements attributable to BF burning exhibited a relatively high level and spatial heterogeneity. The national HI for children (≤2.8 × 10−2) and adults (≤1.5 × 10−2) were all far lower than the acceptable level (HI ≤ 1). However, the CR in rural areas of Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, and Henan (1 × 10−6 to 2.7 × 10−6) reached 2.7 times higher than the acceptable level (CR ≤ 1 × 10−6). These results highlighted that when aiming to mitigate the heavy metals exposure risk in the general population, BF burning emissions should be carefully considered. The governments should improve the awareness of the toxicity and health risks from BF burning. which may reduce the willingness of farmers to use BF sources and further promote the rural energy transition and utilization systematically.

Estimations of infiltration factors of diurnal PM2.5 and heavy metals in children's bedrooms.

Children are the sensitive population to fine particulate matter (PM2.5 ) exposure and spend most of their time in bedroom. Infiltration factor (Finf ) can be used to calculate the fraction of total indoor PM2.5 with outdoor origin to increase the accuracy of exposure assessment. However, studies have ignored the diurnal variations of PM2.5 Finf values, and a few studies have estimated Finf values for heavy metals in PM2.5 in children's bedrooms. To calculate the PM2.5 Finf , real-time indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations and occupants' activities were collected in 56 study bedrooms. At 22 of the 56 study bedrooms, PM2.5 samples were also collected for heavy metals analysis. We noted the PM2.5 Finf was higher during the daytime (0.70±0.23) than nighttime (0.54±0.27) during the hot season, and the time of air conditioner use was longer at nighttime. The largest Finf value of heavy metal was V (0.88±0.25), followed by Pb (0.85±0.28), Mn (0.72±0.26), Cr (0.69±0.35), and Zn (0.61±0.32), with a larger variation. Our findings suggest that the estimations of diurnal PM2.5 and heavy metals Finf values are necessary to increase the accuracy of exposure assessment.

Comparison of the Concentrations of Heavy Metals in PM2.5 Analyzed in Three Different Global Research Institutions Using X-ray Fluorescence

This inter-lab study aimed to evaluate the comparability of heavy metal concentrations in the same samples using three X-ray fluorescence spectrometers (XRFs) in three different global re-search institutions, namely a collaboration lab between Soonchunhyang University (Asan, Korea). and PAN (a branch of Malvern PANalytical, Seoul, Korea), RTI (Research Triangle Institute, NC, U.S.A), and Aerosol laboratory in Harvard University, Boston, U.S.A. Indoor air filter samples were collected from 8 homes using 3 filters in each household (n = 24) of individuals with asthma, and the same filter samples were sequentially analyzed separately in the collaboration lab Soonchunhyang-PAN, Harvard University, and RTI. Results showed the detection rates of most heavy metals (n = 25 metals) across the three institutions to be approximately 90%. Of the 25 metals, 16 showed coefficient of determination (R²) 0.7 or higher (10 components had 0.9 or higher) implying high correlation among institutions. Therefore, this study demonstrated XRF as a useful device, ensuring reproducibility and compatibility in the measurement of heavy metals in PM2.5, collected from indoor air filters of asthmatics’ residents.

Heavy metals concentrations and speciation of Pb and Ni in airborne particulate matter over two residential sites in Greater Cairo - reflection from synchrotron radiation.

Synchrotron radiation-based techniques [X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF)] combined with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used for the assessment of heavy metals concentrations as well as lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) speciation in airborne particulate matter (PM10) over two residential sites in Greater Cairo. Nineteen 24 h high-volume samples collected at Giza (G) Square and Helwan (H) University (Egypt) were selected for this study. Mean concentrations of heavy metals in PM10 at both sites were found to have the same descending order of Pb > Cu > Ni > Cd > Co > As, of which concentrations of Pb, Cu, Ni and Cd in H samples were higher than those in G samples. For Pb, synchrotron-based XRF results were in good agreement with concentrations obtained by ICP-MS. The XANES spectra of PM10 at the Pb L2-edge and Ni K-edge were compared with those of Pb and Ni in model standard compounds to provide information on the potential oxidation states as well as the chemical forms of those elements. The data show that Pb has similar chemical environments in both series G and H with the predominance of Pb2+ oxidation state. Nickel was found as Ni(OH)2, NiO and Ni metal in the analyzed samples. However, the content of Ni in the background filter shows a very strong interference with that of the collected PM10. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks resulting from the inhalation of the studied heavy metals were assessed for children and adult residents and were found below the safe limits, at both sites.

Pollution Characterization, Source Identification, and Health Risks of Atmospheric Particle-Bound Heavy Metals in PM2.5 in Zhengzhou City: Based on High-resolution Data

In order to study the pollution characteristics and sources of heavy metals in urban atmospheric PM2.5, 21 elements in atmospheric PM2.5 in Zhengzhou City were detected using an online metal analyzer during July and October 2017 and January and April 2018, and the changes in heavy metal concentrations were analyzed. Heavy metals were traced by enrichment factors, principal component analysis, and potential source function. The US EPA risk assessment model was used to assess their health risks. The results showed that:the concentrations of K, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cu, As, Cr, and Se increased with the increase in pollution level. The results of enrichment factors and principal component analysis showed that the main sources of heavy metals were crust, mixed combustion, industry, and motor vehicles. The characteristic radar charts showed that the pollution dominated by crustal sources mainly occurred in spring and winter, whereas the pollution dominated by mixed combustion sources mainly occurred in winter. Pb, As, and Ni were greatly affected by the transport of a fen nutrient-laden plain, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and southern Henan, whereas Cd was greatly affected by the northwest region of the sampling site. As presented a significant carcinogenic risk in both adults and children, whereas Pb and Sb presented a significant non-carcinogenic risk in children.

How long-term air pollution and its metal constituents affect type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalence? Results from Wuhan Chronic Disease Cohort

BackgroundEpidemiological evidence linking type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with air pollution is discrepant and most are restricted to the influences of air-pollutant mass concentration. This study aims to explore the effects of long-term exposure to air pollution and its metal constituents on T2DM prevalence in China. MethodsWe used data on 10,253 adult residents from the baseline survey of Wuhan Chronic Disease Cohort in 2019. Ambient PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 exposure were estimated at residences based on Chinese Air Quality Reanalysis Dataset. Concentrations of 10 metal constituents were measured by 976 PM2.5 filter samples collected from four monitoring stations. Logistic regression models were employed to examine associations of T2DM prevalence with 3-year mean concentrations of each air pollutant and PM2.5 metal constituents prior to the baseline investigation. ResultsA total of 673 T2DM cases (6.6%) were identified. The 3-year mean exposures to PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 were 50.89 μg/m3, 82.86 μg/m3, and 39.79 μg/m3, respectively. And interquartile range (IQR) of 10 metals in PM2.5 varied from 0.03 ng/m3 to 78.30 ng/m3. For 1 μg/m3 increment in PM2.5, PM10 and NO2, the odds of T2DM increased by 7.2% (95%CI: 1.026, 1.136), 3.1% (95%CI: 1.013, 1.050), and 2.1% (95%CI: 1.005, 1.038) after adjusting for potential confounders. Cd and Sb in PM2.5 were significant risk factors to T2DM with odds ratios of 1.350 (95%CI: 1.089, 1.673) and 1.389 (95%CI: 1.164, 1.658) for per IQR increase, respectively. Stratification analyses indicated that males and those aged ≥45 years were more susceptive to long-term air pollution. ConclusionsLong-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 increased T2DM prevalence in a Wuhan population, especially for men and middle-aged and elderly people. Moreover, T2DM was significantly associated with Cd and Sb in PM2.5. Further research to validate these results and to clarify the underlying mechanisms is warranted.

New Insight into the Measurements of Particle-Bound Metals in the Urban and Remote Atmospheres of the Sarajevo Canton and Modeled Impacts of Particulate Air Pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Sarajevo Canton Winter Field Campaign 2018 (SAFICA) was a project that took place in winter 2017–2018 with an aim to characterize the chemical composition of aerosol in the Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which has one of the worst air qualities in Europe. This paper presents the first characterization of the metals in PM10 (particulate matter aerodynamic diameters ≤10 μm) from continuous filter samples collected during an extended two-months winter period at the urban background Sarajevo and remote Ivan Sedlo sites. We report the results of 18 metals detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The average mass concentrations of metals were higher at the Sarajevo site than at Ivan Sedlo and ranged from 0.050 ng/m3 (Co) to 188 ng/m3 (Fe) and from 0.021 ng/m3 (Co) to 61.8 ng/m3 (Fe), respectively. The BenMAP-CE model was used for estimating the annual BiH health (50% decrease in PM2.5 would save 4760+ lives) and economic benefits (costs of $2.29B) of improving the air quality. Additionally, the integrated energy and health assessment with the ExternE model provided an initial estimate of the additional health cost of BiH’s energy system.

Contribution of heavy metals in PM2.5 to cardiovascular disease mortality risk, a case study in Guangzhou, China

Heavy metals play an important role in inducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) related cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, most of the past researches concerned the associations between CVD mortality and the PM2.5 mass, which may not reveal the CVD mortality risk contributed by heavy metals in PM2.5. This study explored the correlations between individual heavy metals in PM2.5 and CVD mortality, identified the heavy metals that significantly contribute to PM2.5-related CVD, heart disease (HD), and cerebrovascular disease (CEV) mortality, and attempted to establish corresponding source control measures. Over a 2-year study period, PM2.5 was sampled daily in Guangzhou, China and analyzed for heavy metals. The airborne pollution and weather data, along with CVD, HD, and CEV mortality, were obtained at the same time. The excess risk (ER) of mortality was linked to the individual heavy metals using a distributed lag non-linear model. PM2.5 and most heavy metals showed significant correlations with the CVD, HD, and CEV mortality; the largest cumulative ER (LCER) values of CVD mortality associated with an interquartile range increase in the levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, antimony, nickel, thallium, aluminum, iron, and PM2.5 were 2.43%, 2.23%, 1.66%, 2.39%, 1.19%, 1.21%, 2.69%, 3.29%, 1.74%, and 2.40%, respectively. Most heavy metals showed comparable LCER values of HD and CEV mortality. Heavy metals with the addition of PM2.5 were divided into three groups following their LCER values; lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony, thallium, zinc, aluminum, and iron, whose contributions were greater than or equal to the average effect of the PM2.5 components, should be limited on a priority basis. These findings indicated that heavy metals play roles in the CVD, HD, and CEV mortality risk of PM2.5, and specific control measures which aimed at the emission sources should be taken to reduce the CVD mortality risk of PM2.5.

Source apportionment and health effects of particle-bound metals in PM2.5 near a precision metal machining factory

Source apportionment and health effects of particle-bound metals in PM2.5 near a precision metal machining factory

Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk of Heavy Metals in Fugitive Dust Around Zhaotong City

In order to explore the pollution characteristics and health risks of heavy metals in fugitive dust around the urban areas of Zhaotong City, road dust and soil dust samples were collected in the Zhaoyang District of Zhaotong City in May 2019. The dust samples were suspended using a particle resuspension system to obtain PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm). The concentrations of Ca, Al, Fe, Mg, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb in PM2.5 were quantified by ICP-MS and ICP-OES. By analyzing 10 types of heavy metals in PM2.5, the results showed that the average concentration of Mn was the highest in the soil fugitive dust, followed by Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Co, Pb, V, As, and Cd. The average concentration of Zn in the road fugitive dust was the highest, followed by Mn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, As, Co, V, and Cd. The enrichment factor (EF) indicated that Cd was strongly enriched in the two types of fugitive dust. The EFs of Cu, Zn, and Pb in road fugitive dust showed a moderate enrichment, and they were higher than those in soil fugitive dust. Correlation and principal component analysis showed that heavy metals in the two types of fugitive dust were affected by coal burning sources. At the same time, heavy metals in soil fugitive dust were affected by agricultural activity sources, and heavy metals in road fugitive dust were affected by traffic sources. The results of the health risk assessment indicated that the carcinogenic risks of Cr, Co, Ni, As, and Cd in soil fugitive dust were higher than those in road fugitive dust. The non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metals in the two types of fugitive dust for children were higher than those for adults, and the non-carcinogenic risks of Cu, Zn, and Pb in road fugitive dust were higher than those in soil fugitive dust.

Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in PM&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2.5&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; during Winter in the Suburb of Cangzhou, China

The heavy metals in atmospheric fine particles are of great concern to human health. To understand the pollution characteristics and health risks of heavy metals in particulate matter with an aerodynamic equivalent diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) during winter in the suburb of Cangzhou, PM2.5 samples were collected with an intelligent medium-flow atmospheric particulate matter sampler from January to February 2019. The Fe, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn contents in PM2.5 were determined via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The sources and health risks of heavy metals in PM2.5 were analysed via the enrichment factor (EF) method and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) health risk assessment model. The results showed that the average PM2.5 concentration in the suburb of Cangzhou reached 71.6 μg/m3, ranging from 23.7 to 169.5 μg/m3. The exceeding standard rate was 29.4% during the sampling period. The PM2.5 concentration during the nighttime was higher than that during the daytime. The heavy metal concentrations in PM2.5 decreased in the order of Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Pb, and the Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn concentrations decreased in the order of clean days the daytime. EF analysis revealed that Zn, Pb and Cu were significantly enriched, and Pb was highly enriched on heavy pollution days with increasing pollution degree. The enrichment level of heavy metals during the nighttime was higher than that during the daytime. Health risk assessment demonstrated that Mn posed non-carcinogenic risks to both adults and children, following the sequence of clean days . The study revealed that the pollution levels of heavy metals in PM2.5 in the suburb of Cangzhou were low, and Pb and Mn in PM2.5 posed certain health risks to the population.