4.7 Article

Levels, potential sources and human health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particulate matter (PM10) in Kumasi, Ghana

Journal

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
Volume 22, Issue 13, Pages 9658-9667

Publisher

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-4022-1

Keywords

Airborne particulate; PAHs; Kumasi; BaP toxic equivalent; Incremental lifetime cancer risk; Chemical mass balance

Funding

  1. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan
  2. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
  3. foundation of JSPS Core to Core Program (AA Science Platforms)
  4. Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [26304043, 15H02825, 24405004] Funding Source: KAKEN

Ask authors/readers for more resources

Airborne particulate samples were collected on quartz filters to determine the concentrations, sources and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air in Kumasi, Ghana. A total of 32 air samples were collected in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus (pristine site) and city centre (CC). Samples were extracted with 1:2v/v acetone/hexane mixture prior to GC-MS analyses. The sum of concentrations of 17 PAHs in air ranged from 0.51 to 16 (KNUST) and 19-38 ng/m(3) (CC). The concentration of benzo[a]pyrene, BaP, ranged from below detection limit to 0.08 ng/m(3) (KNUST) and 1.6 to 5.6 ng/m(3) (CC). Chemical mass balance model showed that PAHs in air in Kumasi were mainly from fuel combustion. The total BaP equivalent concentration (BaPeq) in CC was 18 times higher compared to KNUST; based on the European Legislation and Swedish and UK Standards for BaP in air, CC could be classified as highly polluted. Estimated carcinogenicity of PAHs in terms of BaPeq indicated that BaP was the principal PAH contributor in CC (70 %). Health risk to adults and children associated with PAH inhalation was assessed by taking into account the lifetime average daily dose and corresponding incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR). The ILCR was within the acceptable range (10(-6) to 10(-4)), indicating low health risk to residents.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.7
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available