Risk assessment of inhalation exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in school children.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with the inhalable fraction of particulate matter were determined for 1 year (2009–2010) at a school site located in proximity of industrial and heavy traffic roads in Delhi, India. PM10 (aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm) levels were ∼11.6 times the World Health Organization standard. Vehicular (59.5 %) and coal combustion (40.5 %) sources accounted for the high levels of PAHs (range 38.1–217.3 ng m−3) with four- and five-ring PAHs having ∼80 % contribution. Total PAHs were dominated by carcinogenic species (∼75 %) and B[a]P equivalent concentrations indicated highest exposure risks during winter. Extremely high daily inhalation exposure of PAHs was observed during winter (439.43 ng day−1) followed by monsoon (232.59 ng day−1) and summer (171.08 ng day−1). Daily inhalation exposure of PAHs to school children during a day exhibited the trend school hours > commuting to school > resting period in all the seasons. Vehicular source contributions to daily PAH levels were significantly correlated (r = 0.94, p < 0.001) with the daily inhalation exposure level of school children. A conservative estimate of ∼11 excess cancer cases in children during childhood due to inhalation exposure of PAHs has been made for Delhi.