Multielement determination by flame atomic absorption of road dust samples in Delta Region, Egypt

Concentrations of Al, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, V and Zn in road dust particles at seven sites in the Delta region have been investigated using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Results showed that samples were highly contaminated with Cd, Pb, Sn and Zn and moderately contaminated with As, Se, Ba and Cu when compared to the average crustal background concentrations of metals. The output of the principle component analysis revealed that Al, Fe, Be and Mn were predominantly driven from natural sources and that all the other metals were anthropogenically driven from industrial activities (As, Ba. Cd, Cr, Cu, Se, and Sn) and traffic emissions (Pb, Ni and V). Results of the applied risk assessment indicated that the higher risk of occurrence of adverse non-carcinogenic health effects is associated with the exposure of children to Al, Fe, As, Cr, Pb and Zn via the ingestion pathway and that carcinogenic health effects are not expected to occur from the exposure to metals in the road dust of the Delta region. However, given the large uncertainties associated with the estimates of toxicity values and exposure factors, and the absence of site-specific biometric factors, these results should be regarded as a screening data. Further research should be undertaken before any definite conclusions regarding potential health effects are drawn. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.