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Organochlorine pesticides in ambient air from the littoral cities of northern China: Spatial distribution, seasonal variation, source apportionment and cancer risk assessment.

Authors :
Yu SY
Liu WJ
Xu YS
Zhao YZ
Cai CY
Liu Y
Wang X
Xiong GN
Tao S
Liu WX
Source :
The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2019 Feb 20; Vol. 652, pp. 163-176. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Oct 18.
Publication Year :
2019

Abstract

Concentrations, composition and seasonal variations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the atmosphere (particulate phase and gaseous phase) at coastal cities in northern China were determined. OCP transport from emission source areas and lifetime excess cancer risks by inhalation exposure to specific OCPs were also investigated. The annual average concentration of total OCPs in gaseous phase ranged from 1.0ng/m <superscript>3</superscript> to 6.3ng/m <superscript>3</superscript> , with the peak observed in summer at most sites. Particulate phase concentrations ranged from 29.9pg/m <superscript>3</superscript> to 103.3pg/m <superscript>3</superscript> , with the maximum found in the local heating period at most locations. The detection rates of gaseous samples were considerably higher than those of particulate ones. The dominant components included endosulfan (I and II), (α- and γ-) chlordane, pentachlorobiphenyl (PeCB), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), heptachlor, (α-, β- and γ-) hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and their metabolic products. The specific ratios indicated different applications of DDT, technical HCH and endosulfan at most sites. Large differences in compositional profiles occurred in January (typical heating period) and July (representative non-heating period), and diurnal changes in component concentrations may have been influenced by local emission pattern. The potential source contribution function (PSCF) manifested seasonal concentrations of airborne OCPs affected by the input of potential sources in different regions. The emission sources with higher contribution probabilities to the sites were primarily distributed in the surrounding areas. The lifetime excess cancer risks for the local residents by inhalation exposure to specific components were not high, though the potential threat of α-HCH and HCB should be concerned. CAPSULE: Gaseous OCPs reached peak values in summer and dominated relative to particulate (PM <subscript>10</subscript> ) values; meanwhile, surrounding sources affected air OCP concentrations, and cancer risks of OCPs by inhalation exposure were not high.<br /> (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1879-1026
Volume :
652
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The Science of the total environment
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
30359799
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.230