Health risk assessment of PM2.5 and PM2.5-bound trace elements in Pretoria, South Africa

• Published in: Journal of environmental science and health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering Vol. 58; no. 4; pp. 342 - 358
• Main Authors: Howlett-Downing, Chantelle, Boman, Johan, Molnár, Peter, Shirinde, Joyce, Wichmann, Janine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adults; Air pollution; Air quality; Air quality standards; beijing pm2.5; Body mass; cancer; cape-town; Carcinogens; chemical-composition; Engineering; Environmental Health and Occupational Health; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Exposure; fine particulate; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Miljömedicin och yrkesmedicin; mortality; Outdoor air quality; particles; Particulate matter; particulates; Respiratory diseases; risk; Risk assessment; seasonal; source apportionment; sources; Trace elements; ultrafine; South Africa; Pretoria South Africa
• ISSN: 1093-4529; 1532-4117
• DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2023.2186653

Exposure to outdoor air pollutants poses a risk for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic respiratory disease outcomes. A standardized health risk assessment (US EPA) utilizes air quality data, body mass and breathing rates to determine potential risk. This health risk assessment study assesses the hazard quotient (HQ) for total PM 2.5 and trace elemental constituents (Br, Cl, K, Ni, S, Si, Ti and U) exposure in Pretoria, South Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline (5 µg m −3 ) and the yearly South African National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) (20 µg m −3 ) were the references dosages for total PM 2.5 . A total of 350 days was sampled in Pretoria, South Africa. The mean total PM 2.5 concentration during the 34-month study period was 23.2 µg m −3 (0.7-139 µg m −3 ). The HQ for total PM 2.5 was 1.17, 3.47 and 3.78 for adults, children and infants. Non-carcinogenic risks for trace elements K, Cl, S and Si were above 1 for adults. Seasonally, Si was the highest during autumn for adults (1.9) and during spring for S (5.5). The HQ values for K and Cl were highest during winter. The exposure to Ni posed a risk for cancer throughout the year and for As during winters.