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Characterization and health risk assessment of particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Tehran, Iran

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Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants in the urban atmosphere. An investigation of PAHs in the urban atmosphere of Tehran, Iran, was conducted in this study. Car engine air filters (CAFs) were collected in 15 taxi garages between 2016 and 2017 and analyzed for PAHs to assess the concentration level and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The total concentrations of 16 PAHs (ΣPAHs) ranged from 169 to 174 μg/CAF. The average ΣPAHs concentration in winter was slightly higher than in summer. The most abundant individual PAH was phenanthrene, followed by fluoranthene, pyrene, and naphthalene. Concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) varied between 1.80 and 2.27 μg/CAF. Based on estimated air volumes that pass through each CAF, atmospheric PAHs were estimated. ΣPAHs ranged from 8.31 to 8.39 ng/m3 for the average air volume estimate, less than those reported before using a high volume air sampler. The total carcinogenic risk of 16 PAH compounds was less than the acceptable limit of EPA for human health (1 × 10−6).

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Funding

This study was funded by the Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran. It is hoped that the results obtained will give a baseline reference for regulatory actions aiming at the improvement of air quality in the metropolis of Tehran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran

    Fatemeh Ahmadipour, Abbas Esmaeili Sari & Nader Bahramifar

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  1. Fatemeh Ahmadipour
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  2. Abbas Esmaeili Sari
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  3. Nader Bahramifar
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Correspondence to Fatemeh Ahmadipour.

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Ahmadipour, F., Sari, A.E. & Bahramifar, N. Characterization and health risk assessment of particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Tehran, Iran. Air Qual Atmos Health 13, 1431–1438 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-020-00897-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-020-00897-5

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