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ABSTRACT
Probabilistic risk models were developed for evaluating the health risk due to ingesting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated outdoor soil and indoor dust particles through hand-to-mouth activities. The cancer risk and its influencing factors among residents were then assessed and compared by applying the Monte Carlo method to identify the most significant harmful scenarios and factors. The results showed that toddlers, children, and teens were at the highest risk, followed by infants, adults, and seniors. For children, the probability that the risk surpassed 10−6 was approximately 15%, compared with 5% for toddlers and teens. Indoor dust posed a more serious threat than outdoor soil, while indoor risk was mainly due to contaminated particles adhered to hard surfaces. The most influential variables for risk were the frequency of hand-to-mouth events, the potency equivalency factor relative to the Benzo (a) pyrene of PAHs for indoor dust, the dust surface load on hard and soft horizontal surfaces, and the saliva extraction factor. It indicates that implementing measures to manage and prevent health risks, especially for toddlers, children, and teens, is essential. It is useful for local residents to implement measures aimed at managing health risk and for local government to propose and implement pollution control policies.