Measurement of size-segregated airborne particulate bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and health risk assessment: a case study in Aksaray atmosphere, Turkey

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in size-segregated particulate matters (PMs) in a range of 0.43 to 10.0 μm, categorized into two as fine particles (0.43 μm < d < 2.1 μm) and coarse particles (2.1 μm < d < 10.0 μm), during summer and winter seasons in an urban atmosphere of Aksaray, Turkey. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate size distribution, temporal variation, and related health risks of PAHs. During the winter season, concentrations of PAHs in the sampling site were almost ten times higher than in summer, and approximately 85% of the PAHs belonged to the fine PM fraction. On the other hand, it was determined that the emission sources of the detected PAHs in the summer season were traffic-related emissions. The smallest particle size range (0.45–0.63 μm) consisted of the maximum PAH concentration (1.22±0.05 ng m −3 ) about other particle sizes during the summer season. Fluoranthene (Flt) was the main PAH species determined during winter, indicating that coal combustion is a dominant pollution source. The size distribution properties of PAHs showed similar characteristics for coarse particles, which was also the case for fine particles. In addition, as the ring number of PAHs increases, the height of the peaks decreases in the size distribution plots of coarse particles. Higher molecular weight (HMW) PAHs show higher carcinogenicity potential, mainly found in the fine PM fraction. A health risk assessment was estimated by toxicity equivalent quantity (TEQ) and inhalation cancer risk (ICR), indicating medium risk for the fine PMs and low risk for the coarse PMs.