Levels and risks of particulate-bound PAHs in indoor air influenced by tobacco smoke: a field measurement

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Klara Slezakova (Author) FEUP; Dionísia Castro (Author) FEUP; Cristina Delerue-Matos (Author) Other; Simone Morais (Author) Other; Maria do Carmo Pereira (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Vol. 21 No. 6

Pages: 4492-4501

ISSN: 0944-1344

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 4 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 0 Citations

Pubmed / Medline

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

CORDIS: Technological sciences ; Health sciences

Associated Projects

PEst-C/EQB/UI0511/2011 - PROJECTO ESTRATÉGICO - UI 511 - 2011-2012

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-KN0

DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2391-5

Abstract (EN): Considering tobacco smoke as one of the most health-relevant indoor sources, the aim of this work was to further understand its negative impacts on human health. The specific objectives of this work were to evaluate the levels of particulate-bound PAHs in smoking and non-smoking homes and to assess the risks associated with inhalation exposure to these compounds. The developed work concerned the application of the toxicity equivalency factors approach (including the estimation of the lifetime lung cancer risks, WHO) and the methodology established by USEPA (considering three different age categories) to 18 PAHs detected in inhalable (PM10) and fine (PM2.5) particles at two homes. The total concentrations of 18 PAHs (I (PAHs)) pound was 17.1 and 16.6 ng m(-3) in PM10 and PM2.5 at smoking home and 7.60 and 7.16 ng m(-3) in PM10 and PM2.5 at non-smoking one. Compounds with five and six rings composed the majority of the particulate PAHs content (i.e., 73 and 78 % of I (PAHs) pound at the smoking and non-smoking home, respectively). Target carcinogenic risks exceeded USEPA health-based guideline at smoking home for 2 different age categories. Estimated values of lifetime lung cancer risks largely exceeded (68-200 times) the health-based guideline levels at both homes thus demonstrating that long-term exposure to PAHs at the respective levels would eventually cause risk of developing cancer. The high determined values of cancer risks in the absence of smoking were probably caused by contribution of PAHs from outdoor sources.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10