Pollution characteristics of atmospheric dustfall and heavy metals in a typical inland heavy industry city in China

Through field sampling of atmospheric dustfall in regions of Zhuzhou City, China for a period of one year, the deposition fluxes of atmospheric dustfall and five heavy metals contained inside, including Cr, As, Cd, Hg and Pb, were analyzed. Meanwhile the enrichment factor and index methods were used to analyze the pollution characteristics of heavy metals of atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou. The annual deposition flux of atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou was 50.79 g/(m~2·year), while the annual deposition fluxes of Cr, As, Cd, Hg and Pb were 9.80, 59.69, 140.09, 0.87 and 1074.91 mg/(m~2·year), respectively.The pollution level of atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou was relatively lower compared with most other cities in China, but the deposition fluxes of As, Cd, Hg and Pb in atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou were much higher than that in most cities and regions around the world. Cd is the typical heavy metal element in atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou, and both the enrichment factor and pollution index of Cd were the highest. Cd, Hg, Pb and As in atmospheric dustfall were mainly from human activities. According to the single-factor index, Nemerow index and pollution load index analyses, the atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou could easily cause severe heavy metal pollution to urban soil, and the most polluting element was Cd, followed by Pb, As and Hg. Only the pollution level of Cr lay in the safety region and mainly originated from natural sources.     

Effect of periphyton community structure on heavy metal accumulation in mystery snail (Cipangopaludina chinensis):A case study of the Bai River, China

The ratio of metal:P stoichiometry was used to identify the accumulation pathways of heavy metals (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb) from periphyton to snails Cipangopaludina chinensis Gray (C. chinensis) in the Bai River watershed. The results showed that periphyton communities were mainly composed of two types of algae, filamentous green algae and unicellular diatoms. The proportion of unicellular diatoms in the periphyton community is a key factor that influences metal accumulation in C. chinensis. The V, Cr, Co, Ni, and Cd content of C. chinensis increased steadily as the corresponding metal content of periphyton increased, but Cu and Pb in the snail did not increase in the periphyton. Mechanisms of V, Cr, and Ni accumulation were found to be related to the proportion of diatoms, while Cd and Pb accumulation were dependent on the physiological characteristics of C. chinensis. The accumulation of Cu in C. chinensis was closely related to their grazing behavior. The metal:P stoichiometry revealed that Cr, Ni, and Cd can reduce the potential ecological risks associated with increased P inputs to the ecosystem. V and Co were considered to be relatively safe, regardless of the periphyton P content. Finally, Pb may not be prone to transfer to higher trophic levels, and may pose the lowest ecological risks of the studied heavy metals, but Cu can cause potential ecological risks when eutrophication has occurred.     

Health risks associated with heavy metals in the drinking water of Swat, northern Pakistan

The concentrations of heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were investigated in drinking water sources （surface and groundwater） collected from Swat valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The potential health risks of heavy metals to the local population and their possible source apportionment were also studied. Heavy metal concentrations were analysed using atomic absorption spectrometer and compared with permissible limits set by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb were higher than their respective permissible limits, while Cu, Mn and Zn concentrations were observed within their respective limits. Health risk indicators such as chronic daily intake （CDI） and health risk index （HRI） were calculated for adults and children separately. CDIs and HRIs of heavy metals were found in the order of Cr 〉 Mn 〉 Ni 〉 Zn 〉 Cd 〉 Cu 〉 Pb and Cd 〉 Ni 〉 Mn 〉 Cr 〉 Cu 〉 Pb 〉 Zn, respectively. HRIs of selected heavy metals in the drinking water were less than 1, indicating no health risk to the local people. Multivariate and univariate statistical analyses showed that geologic and anthropogenic activities were the possible sources of water contamination with heavy metals in the study area.     

Human health risk assessment of groundwater nitrate at a two geomorphic units transition zone in northern China

To assess groundwater nitrate contamination and its human health risks, 489 unconfined groundwater samples were collected and analyzed from Zhangjiakou, northern China. The spatial distribution of principle hydrogeochemical results showed that the average concentrations of ions in descend order was HCO₃^?, SO₄^2?, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl^?, NO₃^?, Mg²⁺ and K⁺, among which the NO₃^? concentrations were between 0.25 and 536.73 mg/L with an average of 29.72 mg/L. In total, 167 out of 489 samples (~ 34%) exceeded the recommended concentration of 20 mg/L in Quality Standard for Groundwater of China. The high NO₃^? concentration groundwater mainly located in the northern part and near the boundary of the two geomorphic units. As revealed by statistical analysis, the groundwater chemistry was more significantly affected by anthropogenic sources than by the geogenic sources. Moreover, human health risks of groundwater nitrate through oral and dermal exposure pathways were assessed by model, the results showed that about 60%, 50%, 32% and 26% of the area exceeded the acceptable level (total health index>1) for infants, children, adult males and females, respectively. The health risks for different groups of people varied significantly, ranked: infants> children> adult males>adult females, suggesting that younger people are more susceptible to nitrate contamination, while females are more resistant to nitrate contamination than males. To ensure the drinking water safety in Zhangjiakou and its downstream areas, proper management and treatment of groundwater will be necessary to avoid the health risks associated with nitrate contamination.     

PM2.5, PM10 and health risk assessment of heavy metals in a typical printed circuit noards manufacturing workshop

A typical Printed Circuit Board（PCB） manufacturer was chosen as the object of this study.During PCB processing, fine particulate matter and heavy metals（Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd and Ni）will be released into the air and dust, which then impact workers＇ health and the environment. The concentrations of total suspended particle（TSP）, PM10 and PM2.5in the off-site were 106.3, 90.0 and 50.2 μg/m3, respectively, while the concentrations of TSP, PM10 and PM2.5in the workshops ranged from 36.1 to 365.3, from 27.1 to 289.8 and from 22.1 to212.3 μg/m3, respectively. Almost all six of the heavy metals were detected in all of the particle samples except Cd. For each workshop, it was obvious that Zn was the most enriched metal in TSP, followed by Cu 〉 Pb（Cr） 〉 Ni 〉 Cd, and the same trend was found for PM10 and PM2.5. In the dust samples, Cu（which ranged from 4.02 to 56.31 mg/g） was the most enriched metal, followed by Zn, Cr, Pb, Ni and Cd, and the corresponding concentrations ranged from 0.77 to 4.47, 0.37 to 1.59, 0.26 to 0.84, 0.13 to 0.44 and nd to0.078 mg/g, respectively. The health risk assessment showed that noncancerous effects are unlikely for Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Cd and Ni. The carcinogenic risks for Cd and Ni were all lower than 10-6, except for Cr. This result indicates that carcinogenic risks for workers are relatively possible in the workshops. These findings suggest that this technology is advanced from the perspective of environmental protection in the waste PCB＇s recycling industry.     

Historical trends in the anthropogenic heavy metal levels in the tidal flat sediments of Lianyungang, China

The sedimentation of metals can preserve the historical record of contaminant input from local and regional sources and provide information on the historical changes in regional water and sediment quality. We report the ²¹⁰Pb activities and the heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn) depth profiles from sediment cores retrieved in 2010. The mean sedimentation rates of 0.85-1.5 cm/yr are determined by ²¹⁰Pb dating. The sediments in the tidal flat have recorded heavy metal deposition and thus allow the establishment of a connection between the temporal evolution of the heavy metal pollution and the historical changes in the economic development of Lianyungang. The enrichment factors (EF) are calculated to estimate the level of contamination stored in these sediments. The results show that in the studied sites, Cr and Cu display low EF values and are mainly from lithogenic origin. For the other studied trace metals, a great variability in the sedimentary record is observed. Significant anthropogenic enrichment over the last 50 years is revealed at the tidal flat that receives fluvial inputs. Zinc is the element with the highest EF values, followed by the order of Pb > Cd > Mn > Cu and Cr. The temporal variations of the heavy metals peak during the late 1980s to the early 2000s and show a decreasing trend afterward. The pollution intensity of the tidal flat is determined by using EF and the geo-accumulation index (I_geo), which show that, based on the I_geo scale, the tidal flat of Haizhou Bay is unpolluted to moderately polluted.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations, compositions, sources, and associated carcinogenic risks to humans in farmland soils and riverine sediments from Guiyu, China

The concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) were measured in 23 farmland soil samples and 10 riverine sediment samples from Guiyu, China, and the carcinogenic risks associated with PAHs in the samples were evaluated. Guiyu is the largest electronic waste(EW) dismantling area globally, and has been well known for the primitive and crude manner in which EWs are disposed, such as by open burning and roasting. The total PAH concentrations were 56–567 ng/g in the soils and 181–3034 ng/g in the sediments.The Shanglian and Huamei districts were found to be more contaminated with PAHs than the north of Guiyu. The soils were relatively weakly contaminated but the sediments were more contaminated, and sediments in some river sections might cause carcinogenic risks to the groundwater system. The PAHs in the soils were derived from combustion sources,but the PAHs in the sediments were derived from both combustion and petroleum sources.     

Characteristics, sources and health risks assessment of VOCs in Zhengzhou, China during haze pollution season

Zhengzhou is one of the most haze-polluted cities in Central China with high organic carbon emission, which accounts for 15%-20% of particulate matter (PM2.5) in winter and causes significantly adverse health effects. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the precursors of secondary PM2.5 and O3 formation. An investigation of characteristics, sources and health risks assessment of VOCs was carried out at the urban area of Zhengzhou from 1st to 31st December, 2019. The mean concentrations of total detected VOCs were 48.8 ± 23.0 ppbv. Alkanes (22.0 ± 10.4 ppbv), halocarbons (8.1 ± 3.9 ppbv) and aromatics (6.5 ± 3.9 ppbv) were the predominant VOC species, followed by alkenes (5.1 ± 3.3 ppbv), oxygenated VOCs (3.6 ± 1.8 ppbv), alkyne (3.5 ± 1.9, ppbv) and sulfide (0.5 ± 0.9 ppbv). The Positive Matrix Factorization model was used to identify and apportion VOCs sources. Five major sources of VOCs were identified as vehicular exhaust, industrial processes, combustion, fuel evaporation, and solvent use. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk values of species were calculated. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of almost all air toxics increased during haze days. The total non-carcinogenic risks exceeded the acceptable ranges. Most VOC species posed no non-carcinogenic risk during three haze events. The carcinogenic risks of chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,2-dibromoethane, benzyl chloride, hexachloro-1,3-butadiene, benzene and naphthalene were above the acceptable level (1.0 × 10?6) but below the tolerable risk level (1.0 × 10?4). Industrial emission was the major contributor to non-carcinogenic, and solvent use was the major contributor to carcinogenic risks.     

Heavy metals in rice and garden vegetables and their potential health risks to inhabitants in the vicinity of an industrial zone in Jiangsu, China

Contamination of soil and agricultural products by heavy metals resulting from rapid industrial development has caused major concern. In this study, we investigated heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Hg and Cd) concentrations in rice and garden vegetables, as well as in cultivated soils, in a rural-industrial developed region in southern Jiangsu, China, and estimated the potential health risks of metals to the inhabitants via consumption of locally produced rice and garden vegetables. A questionnaire-based survey on dietary consumption rates of foodstuffs showed that rice and vegetables accounted for 64% of total foodstuffs consumed, and over 60% of rice and vegetables were grown in the local region. Average concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb were 0.75, 2.64, 12.00, 0.014, 0.006 and 0.054 mg/kg dw (dry weight) in rice and were 0.67, 1.18, 4.34, 0.011, 0.002 and 0.058 mg/kg fw (fresh weight) in garden vegetables, respectively. These values were all below the maximum allowable concentration in food in China except for Cr in vegetables. Leafy vegetables had higher metal concentrations than solanaceae vegetables. Average daily intake of Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb through the consumption of rice and garden vegetables were 5.66, 16.90, 74.21, 0.10, 0.04 and 0.43 μg/(kg·day), respectively. Although Hazard Quotient values of individual metals were all lower than 1, when all six metal intakes via self-planted rice and garden vegetables were combined, the Hazard Index value was close to 1. Potential health risks from exposure to heavy metals in self-planted rice and garden vegetables need more attention.     

Effects of water management on arsenic and cadmiumspeciation and accumulation in an upland rice cultivar

Pot and field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of water regimes on the speciation and accumulation of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in Brazilian upland rice growing in soils polluted with both As and Cd. In the pot experiment constant and intermittent flooding treatments gave 3-16 times higher As concentrations in soil solution than did aerobic conditions but Cd showed the opposite trend. Compared to arsenate, there were more marked changes in the arsenite concentrations in the soil solution as water management shifted, and therefore arsenite concentrations dominated the As speciation and bioavailability in the soil. In the field experiment As concentrations in the rice grains increased from0.14 to 0.21 mg/kg while Cd concentrations decreased from 0.21 to 0.02 mg/kg with increasing irrigation ranging from aerobic to constantly flooding conditions. Among the various water regimes the conventional irrigation treatment produced the highest rice grain yield of 6.29 tons/ha. The As speciation analysis reveals that the accumulation of dimethylarsinic acid (from 11.3% to 61.7%) made a greater contribution to the increase in total As in brown rice in the intermittent and constant flooding treatments compared to the intermittent-aerobic treatment. Thus, water management exerted opposite effects on Cd and As speciation and bioavailability in the soil and consequently on their accumulation in the upland rice. Special care is required when irrigation regime methods are employed to mitigate the accumulation of metal(loid)s in the grain of rice grown in soils polluted with both As and Cd.     

Pollution characteristics of 15 gas- and particle-phase phthalates in indoor and outdoor air in Hangzhou

Phthalate esters (PAEs), typical pollutants widely used as plasticizers, are ubiquitous in various indoor and outdoor environments. PAEs exist in both gas and particle phases, posing risks to human health. In the present study, we chose four typical kinds of indoor and outdoor environments with the longest average human residence times to assess the human exposure in Hangzhou, including newly decorated residences, ordinary residences, offices and outdoor air. In order to analyze the pollution levels and characteristics of 15 gas- and particle-phase PAEs in indoor and outdoor environments, air and particulate samples were collected simultaneously. The total PAEs concentrations in the four types of environments were 25,396, 25,466.8, 15,388.8 and 3616.2?ng/m³, respectively. DEHP and DEP were the most abundant, and DMPP was at the lowest level. Distinct variations in the distributions of indoor/outdoor, gas/particle-phase and different molecular weights of PAEs were observed, showing that indoor environments were the main sources of PAEs pollution. While most PAEs tended to exsit in indoor sites and gas-phase, the high-molecular-weight chemicals tended to exist in the particle-phase and were mainly found in PM_2.5. PAEs were more likely adsorbed by small particles, especially for the indoor environments. There existed a good correlation between the particle matter concentrations and the PAEs levels. In addition, neither temperature nor humidity had obvious effects on the distributions of the PAEs concentrations.     

An integrated chemical mass balance and source emission inventory model for the source apportionment of PM2.5 in typical coastal areas

The source apportionment of PM_2.5 is essential for pollution prevention. In view of the weaknesses of individual models, we proposed an integrated chemical mass balance-source emission inventory (CMB-SEI) model to acquire more accurate results. First, the SEI of secondary component precursors (SO₂, NO_x, NH₃, and VOCs) was compiled to acquire the emission ratios of these sources for the precursors. Then, a regular CMB simulation was executed to obtain the contributions of primary particle sources and secondary components (SO₄^2?, NO₃^-, NH₄⁺, and SOC). Afterwards, the contributions of secondary components were apportioned into primary sources according to the source emission ratios. The final source apportionment results combined the contributions of primary sources by CMB and SEI. This integrated approach was carried out via a case study of three coastal cities (Zhoushan, Taizhou, and Wenzhou; abbreviated WZ, TZ, and ZS) in Zhejiang Province, China. The regular CMB simulation results showed that PM_2.5 pollution was mainly affected by secondary components and mobile sources. The SEI results indicated that electricity, industrial production and mobile sources were the largest contributors to the emission of PM_2.5 gaseous precursors. The simulation results of the CMB-SEI model showed that PM_2.5 pollution in the coastal areas of Zhejiang Province presented complex pollution characteristics dominated by mobile sources, electricity production sources and industrial production sources. Compared to the results of the CMB and SEI models alone, the CMB-SEI model completely apportioned PM_2.5 to primary sources and simultaneously made the results more accurate and reliable in accordance with local industrial characteristics.     

Historical trends of heavy metal contamination and their sources in lacustrine sediment from Xijiu Lake, Taihu Lake Catchment, China

Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn and Hg in Xijiu Lake sediment from the Taihu Lake catchment, China, were analyzed. Their contamination state was investigated based on the geoaccumulation index and enrichment factors. Statistical analysis was used to differentiate the anthropogenic versus natural sources of heavy metals (HMs), and the anthropogenic accumulation fluxes were calculated to quantify anthropogenic contribution to HMs. The results indicated that the lake sediment had been heavily contaminated by Cd, enrichment of Zn and Hg was at a relatively high level, while that of Cu and Pb was in the lower-to-moderate level and Cr was in the low enrichment level. Sources of Cr in the sediment were mainly from natural inputs, while other metals, especially Cd, were predominantly derived from anthropogenic sources. In the past century, anthropogenic accumulation fluxes of Pb, Zn and Hg increased by 0.1-47.3 mg/(cm².yr), 2.4-398.1 mg/(cm².yr), and 3.7-110.3 ng/(m².yr), respectively, accounting for most inputs of HMs entering the sediment. The contamination state of HMs varied with industrial development of the catchment, which demonstrated that contamination started in the early 20th century, reached the maximal level between the mid-1970s and mid-1990s, and decreased a little after the implementation of constraints on high contamination industries, although the contamination of some HMs, such as Cd, Zn and Hg, is still at high levels.     

Effects of water management on arsenic and cadmium speciation and accumulation in an upland rice cultivar

Pot and field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of water regimes on the speciation and accumulation of arsenic(As) and cadmium(Cd) in Brazilian upland rice growing in soils polluted with both As and Cd. In the pot experiment constant and intermittent flooding treatments gave 3–16 times higher As concentrations in soil solution than did aerobic conditions but Cd showed the opposite trend. Compared to arsenate, there were more marked changes in the arsenite concentrations in the soil solution as water management shifted, and therefore arsenite concentrations dominated the As speciation and bioavailability in the soil. In the field experiment As concentrations in the rice grains increased from 0.14 to 0.21 mg/kg while Cd concentrations decreased from 0.21 to 0.02 mg/kg with increasing irrigation ranging from aerobic to constantly flooding conditions. Among the various water regimes the conventional irrigation treatment produced the highest rice grain yield of 6.29 tons/ha. The As speciation analysis reveals that the accumulation of dimethylarsinic acid(from 11.3% to 61.7%) made a greater contribution to the increase in total As in brown rice in the intermittent and constant flooding treatments compared to the intermittent-aerobic treatment. Thus, water management exerted opposite effects on Cd and As speciation and bioavailability in the soil and consequently on their accumulation in the upland rice. Special care is required when irrigation regime methods are employed to mitigate the accumulation of metal(loid)s in the grain of rice grown in soils polluted with both As and Cd.     

Spatial distribution and pollution assessment of heavy metals in urban soils from southwest China

To identify the concentrations and sources of heavy metals, and to assess soil environmental quality, 63 soil samples were collected in Yibin City, Sichuan Province, China. Mean concentrations of As, Pb, Zn, and Cu were 10.55, 61.23, 138.88 and 56.35 mg/kg, respectively. As concentrations were comparable to background values, while Pb, Zn, and Cu concentrations were higher than their corresponding background values. Industrial areas exhibited the highest concentrations of As, Pb, Zn, and Cu, while the lowest concentrations occurred in parks. Statistical analysis was performed and two cluster groups of metals were identified with Pb, Zn, and Cu in one group and As in the other. Spatial distribution maps indicated that Pb, Zn, and Cu were mainly controlled by anthropogenic activities, whereas As could be mainly accounted for by soil parent materials. Pollution index values of As, Pb, Zn, and Cu varied in the range of 0.24-1.93, 0.66-7.24, 0.42-4.19, and 0.62-5.25, with mean values of 0.86, 1.98, 1.61, and 1.78, respectively. The integrated pollution index (IPI) values of these metals varied from 0.82 to 3.54, with a mean of 1.6 and more than 90% of soil samples were moderately or highly contaminated with heavy metals. The spatial distribution of IPI showed that newer urban areas displayed relatively lower heavy metal contamination in comparison with older urban areas.     

Chemical characterization and source identification of PM2.5 in Luoyang after the clean air actions

Luoyang is a typical heavy industrial city in China, with a coal-dominated energy structure and serious air pollution. Following the implementation of the clean air actions, the physicochemical characteristics and sources of PM_2.5 have changed. A comprehensive study of PM_2.5 was conducted from October 16, 2019 to January 23, 2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of previous control measures and further to provide theory basis for more effective policies in the future. Results showed that the aerosol pollution in Luoyang in autumn and winter is still serious with the average concentration of 91.1 μg/m³, although a large reduction (46.9%) since 2014. With the contribution of nitrate increased from 12.5% to 25.1% and sulfate decreased from 16.7% to 11.2%, aerosol pollution has changed from sulfate-dominate to nitrate-dominate. High NO₃⁻/SO₄²⁻ ratio and the increasing of NO₃⁻/SO₄²⁻ ratio with the aggravation of pollution indicating vehicle exhaust playing an increasingly important role in PM_2.5 pollution in Luoyang, especially in the haze processes. Secondary inorganic ions contributed significantly to the enhancement of PM_2.5 during the pollution period. The high value of Cl⁻/Na⁺ and EC concentration indicate coal combustion in Luoyang is still serious. The top three contributor sources were secondary inorganic aerosols (33.3%), coal combustion (13.6%), and industrial emissions (13.4%). Close-range transport from the western and northeastern directions were more important factors in air pollution in Luoyang during the sampling period. It is necessary to strengthen the control of coal combustion and reduce vehicle emissions in future policies.     

Distribution and speciation of metals in sediments along Le An River

Distribution of metal concentration and metal speciation in sediments along Le An River were studied．A high concentration of copper in sediments was found at Gukou，receiving Dexing Copper Mine effluents．It was decreased from Gukou to Daicun rapidly，but tended to increase from Daicun to Caijiawan Speciation of Cu，Cd，Zn and Pb were studied by sequential selective chemical extraction．The speciation fractions were classified into three bioavailable categories：easily bioavailable，moderately bioavailable and inert bioavailable The geoaccumulation index，^Igeo，was used to illustrated the pollution level of heavy metals in sediments     

Distribution of pollutants in Le An River

pH change，distribution of anions，metals and complexing capacity in riverwater along Le An River were studied during June，1987 to November，1989．A high so²₄concentration was found in whole river．particularly at Gukou．High metal concentrations were found in upstream of the river，Cu．Fe，Ni and Co mainly from Dexing Copper M ine；Cd and Pb from Jishui River．Heavy water quality pollution occurred in the river section from Gukou to Daicun in Dexing Mine A rea．Complexing capacity of Le An River was low as concentration organic ligands and a high metal concentration．     

Environmental pollution by persistent toxic substances and health risk in an industrial area of China

Soil is an important environmental medium that is closely associated with humans and their health. Despite this, very few studies have measured toxicants in soils, and associated them with health risks in humans. An assessment of health effects from exposure to contaminants in soils surrounding industrial areas of chemical production and storage is important. This article aims at determining pollution characteristics of persistent toxic substances (PTS) in an industrial area in China to unravel the relationship between soil pollution by PTS and human health. One hundred and five soil samples were collected and 742 questionnaires were handed out to residents living in and around an industrial area around Bohai Bay, Tianjin in Northern China. Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in soil. Mann-Whitney U and binary multivariate nonconditional logistic regression models were employed to analyze the relationship between health indicators of local residents and contaminant levels. Odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) for health incidences were also calculated. The average concentrations of DDT (73.9 ng/g), HCH (654 ng/g) and PAHs (1225 ng/g) were relatively high in the industrial area. Residents living in the chemical industry parks were exposed to a higher levels of PTS than those living outside the chemical industry parks. This exposure was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer (OR 1.87, 95% CI 0.12–30.06), stomach cancer (OR 1.87, 95% CI 0.26– 13.41), dermatitis (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.05–2.80), gastroenteritis (OR 1.59, 95% CI 0.94–2.68), and pneumonia (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.58–1.89).     

Sources appointment and health risks of PM2.5-bound trace elements in a coastal city of southeastern China

To gain a comprehensive understanding of sources and health risks of trace elements in an area of China with high population densities and low PM_2.5concentrations,15 trace elements (Al,K,Ca,Ti,V,Cr,Mn,Fe,Ni,Cu,Zn,As,Sn,Ba,Pb) in PM_2.5were monitored from December 2020 to November 2021 in a representative city,Xiamen.The concentrations of trace elements in Xiamen displayed an obvious seasonal variation and were dominated by K,Fe,Al,Ca and Zn.Based on Positive Matrix Factoriza...