Characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fog-rain events

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and its effects on human health: An overeview

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of chemicals of considerable environmental significance. PAHs are chemical contaminants of fused carbon and hydrogen aromatic rings, basically white, light-yellow, or solid compounds without color. Natural sources of pollution are marginal or less significant, such as volcanic eruptions, natural forest fires, and moorland fires that trigger lightning bursts. The significant determinants of PAH pollution are anthropogenic pollution sources, classified into four groups, i.e., industrial, mobile, domestic, and agricultural pollution sources. Humans can consume PAHs via different routes, such as inhalation, dermal touch, and ingestion. The Effect of PAHs on human health is primarily based on the duration and route of exposure, the volume or concentration of PAHs to which one is exposed, and the relative toxicity of PAHs. Many PAHs are widely referred to as carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens and thus pose a significant danger to human health and the well-being of humans. Skin, lung, pancreas, esophagus, bladder, colon, and female breast are numerous organs prone to tumor development due to long-term PAH exposure. PAH exposure may increase the risk of lung cancer as well as cardiovascular disease (CVD), including atherosclerosis, thrombosis, hypertension, and myocardial infarction (MI). Preclinical studies have found a relationship between PAH exposure, oxidative stress, and atherosclerosis. In addition, investigations have discovered a relationship between PAH exposure at work and CVD illness and mortality development. This review aims to explain PAH briefly, its transportation, its effects on human health, and a relationship between environmental exposures to PAHs and CVD risk in humans.

A review of potentially harmful chemicals in crumb rubber used in synthetic football pitches

Recycling end-of-life tires (ELTs) reduces waste and provides a low-cost source of energy and materials such as crumb rubber, used as infill in artificial turf football pitches. However, some concerns were raised and remain about its safety. The potentially toxic human exposure to chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals and others (volatile organic compounds (VOCs), plasticizers, antioxidants and additives) existing in ELTs (and in the resulting crumb rubber) is being studied, with no definitive conclusions. The literature existing so far suggests the possibility of their release from synthetic turf infill into the environment as water leachates and to the air surrounding the pitches, but there is the need of further research, also to assess the contribution of other materials present in synthetic turf. The database available comprised crumb rubber infill studies from pitches in 6 countries (USA, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Spain) and revealed a myriad of hazardous chemicals, with benzo[a]pyrene (n.d.-4.31 ± 3.95 mg/kg) and zinc (n.d.-14150 ± 1344 mg/kg) often exceeding the established limits. A dependence on indoor/outdoor conditions and the age of the source material was evaluated, often showing significative differences. From this standpoint, this review is intended to add knowledge about the presence of contaminants in this recycled material, aiming to ensure the safety of end-users and the environment.

Introduction to Environmental Harmful Factors

In this Chapter, we systematically and comprehensively described various environmental harmful factors. They were classified into four aspects: physical factors, chemical factors, biological factors, and physiological and psychological stress factors. Their classification, modes of presence, toxicity and carcinogenicity, routes of exposure to human and toxic effects on the female reproductive health were introduced. It is expected that the exposure routes could be controlled and eliminated, and the pathogenic mechanism of environmental harmful factors should be investigated and explained to protect female reproductive health.

Characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil horizon from high-altitude mountains in Northeastern China

Previous studies have reported that soils from high altitude mountains act as primary reservoirs of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study aims to investigate the spatial distribution and illuminate the behaviors of PAHs in soil profiles from Mt. Wangtiane in Northeastern China. Soil samples were collected by different soil genetic horizon rather than by depths at 10 sites, with altitudes from 1000 m to 2022 m. Results showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations of total PAHs (16 PAHs) in O-horizons (371 ± 32 to 2224 ± 207 ng g^-1) than those in A- and B-horizons (362 ± 30 to 666 ± 58 ng^-1 and 289 ± 23 to 571 ± 50 ng g^-1, respectively). An increasing trend of PAH concentrations with altitude was observed from elevation ca. 1000 m to ca. 1800 m, but no correlation between PAH concentrations and altitude along transect was found. Total organic carbon (TOC) was strongly correlated (p < 0.05) with PAH concentrations in O-horizons but showed no relation with those in A- and B-horizons. Low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs were dominated in each soil horizon, and decreased percentage of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs with depths in soils profiles was observed. Principle component analysis (PCA) separated O-horizons and A-/B-horizons based on PAH compositions, again suggesting different PAH compositions among soil horizons. These results reflect various processes of PAHs, including deposition, vertical motion, degradation and photolysis. This study suggests it is better to investigate characteristics of PAHs in soils by horizon rather than by depths.

Priority and emerging pollutants in the Moscow rain

Air quality is a worldwide problem. Nowadays, thousands of chemicals may be found in the atmosphere from biogenic and anthropogenic sources due to numerous atmospheric reactions. Unfortunately, throughout the world only a small group of organic compounds is monitored on a regular basis. Therefore, an important environmental task involves discovering the most important pollutants for particular cities and regions for regular monitoring in the future. Direct measurements of contaminants in the atmosphere are not always efficient as air represents an extremely dynamic medium. Thus indirect analysis by using precipitations becomes a more popular method of environmental analysis. Over 700 organic compounds belonging to the various classes of chemicals were identified in the Moscow rainwater samples collected in the spring of 2017 using GC/MS instruments including the most analytically powerful modern technique - GC × GC-HRMS. Here we report the nature and levels of 160 priority pollutants and emerging contaminants belonging to the most relevant classes from the environmental point of view: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, organophosphates, dialkylphthalates, phenols, and alkylpyridines. This is the first work dealing with GC-MS analysis of the rainwater in Moscow (Russia).

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric PM1.0 of urban environments: Carcinogenic and mutagenic respiratory health risk by age groups

We investigated the carcinogenic and mutagenic respiratory health risks related to the exposure to atmospheric PAHs in an urban area. Our study focused in the association of these pollutants and their possible effect in human health, principally respiratory and circulatory diseases. Also, we determined a relationship between the inhalation risk of PAHs and meteorological conditions. We validated the hypothesis that in winter PAHs with high molecular weight associated to submicron particles (PM₁) may increase exposure risk, especially for respiratory diseases, bronchitis and pneumonia diseases. Moreover, in our study we verified the relationship between diseases and several carcinogenic PAHs (Ind, BbkF, DahA, BaP, and BghiP). These individual PAHs contributed the most to the potential risk of exposure for inhalation of PM_1.0. Even at lower ambient concentrations of BaP and DahA in comparison with individual concentrations of other PAHs associated to PM_1.0. Mainly, research suggests to include carcinogenic and mutagenic PAHs in future studies of environmental health risk due to their capacity to associate to PM₁₀. Such carcinogenic and mutagenic PAHs are likely to provide the majority of the human exposure, since they originate from dense traffic urban areas were humans congregate.

Investigation of diverse bacteria in cloud water at Mt. Tai, China

Bacteria are abundant in atmospheric water phase with the potential to influence atmospheric processes and human health, yet relatively little information is known about the bacterial characteristics at high altitudes. Here we investigated the bacterial community by high throughput sequencing in 24 cloud water samples collected from September 26 to October 31, at the summit of Mt. Tai (36°15' N, 117°06' E, 1534m a.s.l) in China. Diverse bacterial population were identified and the gram-negative bacteria contributed the majority of total bacteria including Proteobacteria (81.6%) and Bacteroidetes (3.9%), followed by gram-positive bacteria Firmicutes (7.1%) and Actinobacteria (2.3%). These gram-negative taxa mainly inhabited in leaf-surface and cold environments. Meanwhile bacteria involved in the cloud condensation nuclei and ice nuclei formation were observed such as Sphingomonas (6.7%), Pseudomonas (4.1%), and Bacillus (1.1%). In addition, Sphingmonas was more active than that in daytime and participated in the cloud chemistry process. Meanwhile O₃ and SO₂ critically contributed to the variation of bacterial community. It is the first report on the bacterial community structure of cloud water over Asian area. Our results can serve as an important reference for environmental scientists, and biologists.

A review of biomass burning: Emissions and impacts on air quality, health and climate in China

Biomass burning (BB) is a significant air pollution source, with global, regional and local impacts on air quality, public health and climate. Worldwide an extensive range of studies has been conducted on almost all the aspects of BB, including its specific types, on quantification of emissions and on assessing its various impacts. China is one of the countries where the significance of BB has been recognized, and a lot of research efforts devoted to investigate it, however, so far no systematic reviews were conducted to synthesize the information which has been emerging. Therefore the aim of this work was to comprehensively review most of the studies published on this topic in China, including literature concerning field measurements, laboratory studies and the impacts of BB indoors and outdoors in China. In addition, this review provides insights into the role of wildfire and anthropogenic BB on air quality and health globally. Further, we attempted to provide a basis for formulation of policies and regulations by policy makers in China.

A Review of the Effects of Major Atmospheric Pollutants on Pollen Grains, Pollen Content, and Allergenicity

This review summarizes the available data related to the effects of air pollution on pollen grains from different plant species. Several studies carried out either on in situ harvested pollen or on pollen exposed in different places more or less polluted are presented and discussed. The different experimental procedures used to monitor the impact of pollution on pollen grains and on various produced external or internal subparticles are listed. Physicochemical and biological effects of artificial pollution (gaseous and particulate) on pollen from different plants, in different laboratory conditions, are considered. The effects of polluted pollen grains, subparticles, and derived aeroallergens in animal models, in in vitro cell culture, on healthy human and allergic patients are described. Combined effects of atmospheric pollutants and pollen grains-derived biological material on allergic population are specifically discussed. Within the notion of "polluen," some methodological biases are underlined and research tracks in this field are proposed.

Odor compounds released from different zones of two adjacent waste treatment facilities: Interactive influence and source identification

An integrated approach was applied to identify the key odorants comprising emissions from different zones in two adjacent waste treatment facilities (an aerobic biological treatment plant and an anaerobic landfill site), identify their precise sources, and distinguish the interactive influences between them. Seven odor families were investigated, including alcohols, terpenes, carbonyls, aromatics, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), sulfur compounds, and ammonia. Principal components analysis, characteristic molecular ratios, and ternary diagrams were used to differentiate the interactive influence of the odor sources. Among typical biotic compounds, terpenes were found to be more suitable as odor markers for their better fingerprinting character than sulfur compounds and VFAs. Ratios of p-cymene at sampling locations related to the biological treatment plant (aerobic status) were between 0.00 and 0.25, whereas those at landfill-related sampling points (anaerobic status) were between 0.25 and 1.0. The molecular ratio of terpenes was also found to be an appropriate means to differentiate between homologous and similar odor sources such as an aerobic biological treatment plant and anaerobic landfill.

IMPLICATIONS

The aim of this work is to identify the key odorants comprising emissions from different zones in two adjacent waste treatment facilities, identify their precise sources, and distinguish the interactive influences between them. The emission of gaseous pollutants greatly affects the living quality of nearby residents, and odor complaints are becoming a major problem. In this study we utilized various pretreatment and analytical methods to obtain integrated emission information of gaseous pollutants. The results showed terpenes were found to be more suitable as odor markers for their better fingerprinting character than sulfur compounds and VFAs.

Using comprehensive GC × GC to study PAHs and n-alkanes associated with PM2.5 in urban atmosphere

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) utilizing a flow modulator was applied to study particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-alkanes in the urban atmosphere. Samples were collected onto quartz fiber filters using a PM2.5 sampler at Megacity Shanghai, China. Sample preparation included extraction into n-hexane-dichloromethane mixture and cleanup on silver-impregnated silica column. Analyses were performed well with GC × GC-FID and GC × GC-TOFMS equipment. Average particulate PAHs and n-alkane concentrations were in the range of 40-100 ng/m(3) and 120-500 pg/m(3), respectively. It is alarming to note that PAHs and n-alkane concentrations were increasing with urban PM2.5 values and exceeded the air quality standards in many sampling events. Among them, 2-ring, 3-ring, and 4-ring PAHs accounted for the majority of total PAHs, and C10-15 accounted for the majority of particulate n-alkanes. Potential sources of PAHs in PM2.5 were identified using the diagnostic ratios between PAHs. Local emission sources such as combustion from gasoline and diesel engines were the main contributors of particulate-associated PAHs, while long-range transport had minor contribution to the particulate PAHs. Additionally, we determined the overall carcinogenicity of the samples based on PAH concentrations by a dose addition model and found that the overall carcinogenicity during polluted period was obviously higher than during good air quality period.

Atmospheric pollutants in fog and rain events at the northwestern mountains of the Iberian Peninsula

Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and exist in gas and particle phases, as well as dissolved or suspended in precipitation (fog or rain). While the hydrosphere is the main reservoir for PAHs, the atmosphere serves as the primary route for global transport of PCBs. In this study, fog and rain samples were collected during fourteen events from September 2011 to April 2012 in the Xistral Mountains, a remote range in the NW Iberian Peninsula. PAH compounds [especially of low molecular weight (LMW)] were universally found, but mainly in the fog-water samples. The total PAH concentration in fog-water ranged from non-detected to 216 ng·L(-1) (mean of 45 ng·L(-1)), and was much higher in fall than in winter. Total PAH levels in the rain and fog events varied from non-detected to 1272 and 33 ng·L(-1) for, respectively, LMW and high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs. Diagnostic ratio analysis (LMW PAHs/HMW PAHs) suggested that petroleum combustion was the dominant contributor to PAHs in the area. Total PCB levels in the rain and fog events varied from non-detected to 305 and 91 ng·L(-1) for, respectively, PCBs with 2-3 Cl atoms and 5-10 Cl atoms. PCBs, especially those with 5-10 Cl atoms, were found linked to rain events. The occurrence of the most volatile PCBs, PCBs with 2-3 Cl atoms, is related to wind transport from far away sources, whereas the occurrence of PCBs with 5-10 Cl atoms seems to be related with the increase of its deposition during rainfall at the end of summer and fall. The movement of this fraction of PCBs is facilitated by its binding to air-suspended particles, whose concentrations usually show an increase as the result of a prolonged period of drought in summer.

A review of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their human health effects

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of organic compounds comprised of two or more fused benzene rings arranged in various configurations. PAHs are widespread environmental contaminants formed as a result of incomplete combustion of organic materials such as fossil fuels. The occurrence of PAHs in ambient air is an increasing concern because of their carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Although emissions and allowable concentrations of PAHs in air are now regulated, the health risk posed by PAH exposure suggests a continuing need for their control through air quality management. In light of the environmental significance of PAH exposure, this review offers an overview of PAH properties, fates, transformations, human exposure, and health effects (acute and chronic) associated with their emission to the atmosphere. Biomarkers of PAH exposure and their significance are also discussed.