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Abstract
Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in urban soils, and their risk for humans was evaluated and presented in this article. The average concentration of ∑16PAHs, ∑carcinogenic PAHs, ∑28PCBs and ∑dioxin-like PCBs was 631.6 ± 244.5 μg kg−1, 568.8 ± 238.8 μg kg−1, 11.57 ± 2.00 μg kg−1 and 2.58 ± 0.34 μg kg−1, respectively. Environmental and human health risk assessment parameters such as benzo(a)pyrene total potency equivalent (BaP TPE), index of additive cancer risk (IACR), life time average daily dose (LADD) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) have been estimated and discussed. The average benzo(a)pyrene total potency equivalent (BaP TPE) estimate was 0.194 mg kg−1 and ranging between 8.9×10−4 to 0.87 mg kg−1. The incremental life time cancer risk (ILCR) of PAHs through soil ingestion for adults and children was estimated as 8.1×10−6 and 4.2×10−5, respectively. However, the cancer risk (ILCR) from non-dioxin-like PCBs and dioxin-like PCBs for adults and children ranged between 3.31×10−8 to 1.741×10−7 and 1.46×10−5 to 7.56×10−5, respectively. These estimated risks were lower than acceptable limits, based on incremental cancer risk from soil exposure. Overall, index of additive cancer risk (IACR) and hazard quotient (HQ) for PAHs and PCBs was lower than safe limit of 1, indicating no environmental and human health risk from PAHs and PCBs in this area of study.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Chairman and Member Secretary of Central Pollution Control Board for guidance and providing the necessary facilities and infrastructure in National Reference Trace Organics Laboratory to conduct the present work. Authors are also thankful to the concerned staff of National Reference Trace Organics Laboratory for help during sampling, sample processing and analysis.