Atmospheric PAHs Levels and Health Risk Assessment in Five Cities of China

Objective To assess the health risk of atmospheric PAHs in five cities of China.Methods The atmospheric particulate PAHs collected in June and December of 2009 in Nanjing,Wuhan,Shenzhen,Harbin and Taiyuan were detected,air PAH-induced health risks to local population were assessed by benzo(a)pyrene(BaP) carcinogenic and mutagenic equivalents,the average life-long cancer risk and loss of life expectancy.Results The average daily concentrations of BaP in Nanjing,Wuhan and Taiyuan were 50.04,34.54 and 23.88 ng/m3 respectively,which exceeded the national maximum permissible level of BaP(10 ng/m3),and they were 1.18 and 2.54 ng/m3 in Shenzhen and Harbin.The average lifetime cancer risks of PAHs for adults and children were 1.09×10-4 and 6.98×10-5,5.37×10-5 and 3.40×10-6,0.80×10-6 and 0.50×10-6,1.75×10-6 and 1.11×10-6,1.67 ×10-5 and 1.06×10-6 in Nanjing,Wuhan,Shenzhen,Harbin and Taiyuan respectively.The losts of life expectancy in Nanjing,Wuhan,Shenzhen,Harbin and Taiyuan were 677.19,333.54,4.84,108.54 and 103.68 min,respectively.Conclusion The life-long cancer risks of atmospheric PAHs pollution in Nanjing,Wuhan,Harbin and Taiyuan are above the acceptable risk level,while,in Shenzhen,it is below the acceptable risk level.