TSP, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁ in ambient air of Shahr-e Kord, Iran’s rooftop; levels, characterisation and health risk assessment of particles-bound heavy metals

ABSTRACT

In this study, the ambient air quality had monitored in views of particulate matter levels and their heavy metals content in a high-altitude region, Shahr-e Kord for the first time. The levels of Total Suspended Particles (TSP), PM₁₀, PM_2.5, PM₁, TSP-bound Heavy metals, and the related health risks had evaluated from December 2018 to March 2019. The average concentrations of TSP, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁ were 61.85, 51.57, 19.28, and 3.03 µg/m³in December, 54.15, 19.68, 7.37, and 4.89 µg/m³in February, 24.05, 11.32, 4.42, and 2.88 µg/m³in January, 68.22, 33.72, 14.21, and 3.73 µg/m³in March respectively. The concentrations of HMs in TSP ranked in the following decreasing order: Hg>As>Mn> Ni> Cr> Cu>Pb (ng/m³). The health risk assessment showed that the inhabitants in Shahr-e Kord were within the safe range of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks attributed to the exposure with heavy metals present in ambient air.

KEYWORDS:

• Inorganic and organic contents of particles
• heavy Metals in TSP
• wind erosion
• health risk assessment
• SEM-EDX

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the laboratory of environmental health engraining of Shahr-e Kord University of Medical Sciences.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by Shahr-e Kord University of Medical Sciences (Grant NO 1396-08-73-3619).