Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in classrooms of schools: risk assessment for primary school teachers

• Type: Chapter or Part of a Book
• Date: 2017

Authors

Klara Slezakova (Author) FEUP; Maria do Carmo Pereira (Author) FEUP; Joana Madureira (Author) Other; Eduardo de Oliveira Fernandes (Author) Other; Marta Oliveira (Author) Other; Cristina Delerue Matos (Author) Other; Simone Morais (Author) Other

Book

Title: Occupational Safety and Hygene V

Pages: 141-152

ISBN: 978-113805761

Publisher: CRC Press

Indexing

Scopus

Associated Projects

ARIA - Como a qualidade do ar pode influenciar asma e alergia nas crianças

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

Other information

DOI: 10.1201/9781315164809-28

Abstract (EN): This study evaluated risks associated with inhalation exposure to carcinogenic PAHs for populations of primary schools teachers. Ten carcinogenic (probable, possible) PM2.5–bound PAHs were collected in indoor air of 9 classrooms at four Portuguese primary schools (PSC–PSR) during winter–spring 2014. The highest total levels of ten carcinogenic (Σ10PAH = 21.3–25.6 ng m–3) were found in classrooms at a school with busy traffic (in the surrounding streets) whereas the lowest indoor concentrations were obtained in classrooms of a school situated in residential zone (0.47–0.72 ng m–3). Dibenz[a,h]anthracene (21–29% of Σ10PAH), benzo[b]fluoranthene (13–28%) and naphthalene (5–40%) were the most abundant congeners in indoor air of classrooms, whereas benz[a]anthracene was among the least abundant PAHs (1–3%). Values of total incremental lifetime cancer risks (i.e. sum of risks of ten carcinogenic PAH congeners) were below the USEPA guideline level of 10–6 for teachers at all studied schools (independently of the duration of the employment) and thus the risks can be considered as negligible. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, London.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12