Carcinogenic and mutagenic risk associated to airborne particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: A source apportionment

Conventional risk assessment studies provide no detailed information about the role of specific sources determining the total carcinogenic and mutagenic potencies of PAH mixtures on humans health. In this study, the main emission sources of 11 particle-phase PAHs listed as carcinogenic and mutagenic agents by the IARC were identified by a risk apportionment method. The contribution of sources to the total concentration of PAHs in the study area was also quantified. A receptor model based on factor and multiple linear regression analyses was applied to estimate the source-specific risk associated to PAH inhalation in an urban background area of a large city (Venice-Mestre, Northern Italy). The proposed approach has discriminated the sources of mutagenic and carcinogenic congeners and their role in determining a serious hazard for human health. Results, interpreted on the basis of seasonal variations and atmospheric conditions, have shown that even though domestic heating is the main source of total PAHs in winter, a background pollution including traffic mainly accounts for the carcinogenic and mutagenic risk during the whole year. The findings of this work and the approach used can be easily applied to other geographic areas and provide useful information for local and regional air pollution control strategies.