Seasonal concentration distribution of PM1.0 and PM2.5 and a risk assessment of bound trace metals in Harbin, China: Effect of the species distribution of heavy metals and heat supply

Abstract

To clarify the potential carcinogenic/noncarcinogenic risk posed by particulate matter (PM) in Harbin, a city in China with the typical heat supply, the concentrations of PM1.0 and PM2.5 were analyzed from Nov. 2014 to Nov. 2015, and the compositions of heavy metals and water-soluble ions (WSIs) were determined. The continuous heat supply from October to April led to serious air pollution in Harbin, thus leading to a significant increase in particle numbers (especially for PM1.0). Specifically, coal combustion under heat supply conditions led to significant emissions of PM1.0 and PM2.5, especially heavy metals and secondary atmospheric pollutants, including SO42−, NO3−, and NH4+. Natural occurrences such as dust storms in April and May, as well as straw combustion in October, also contributed to the increase in WSIs and heavy metals. The exposure risk assessment results demonstrated that Zn was the main contributor to the average daily dose through ingestion and inhalation, ADDIng and ADDinh, respectively, among the 8 heavy metals, accounting for 51.7–52.5% of the ADDIng values and 52.5% of the ADDinh values. The contribution of Zn was followed by those of Pb, Cr, Cu and Mn, while those of Ni, Cd, and Co were quite low (<2.2%).

Regional and seasonal variations in household and personal exposures to air pollution in one urban and two rural Chinese communities: A pilot study to collect time-resolved data using static and wearable devices

“…In urban Suzhou, the average PM 2.5 exposure across the four device locations were largely similar in the warm season (~40 µg/m 3 ), but that in the outdoor environment was distinctly higher in the cool season (~90 µg/m 3 ), suggesting that ambient sources play a more important role during winter months in this area. This is again consistent with recent estimates in Chinese cities, where ambient PM 2.5 levels have been much higher in winter (~90–120 µg/m 3 ) than in summer (~30–50 µg/m 3 ) ( Shen et al, 2016 , Huang et al, 2020 , Wang et al, 2020 ) possibly due to regional air pollution associated with increased demand for heating and temperature inversion effect. Interestingly, despite exclusive clean fuel usage in Suzhou, on average two peaks of PM 2.5 were detected during typical cooking times in the kitchen, with milder but similar peaks registered in the personal monitors.…”

Evaluation of Fine and Ultrafine Particles Proportion in Airborne Dust in an Industrial Area

“…For example, according to the measurements of the China study [26], the mean ratios of PM 1.0 /PM 2.5 were 0.71, 0.79, 0.78 and 0.82 in spring, summer, fall and winter, respectively. There were significant differences found among the seasons (p < 0.01), and the highest value appeared in winter, similar to other studies [27,28]. When comparing individual filter fractions, a generally higher average ratio of large particles >2.5 µm (filter A) and the smallest particles (UFP, PM 0.25 ) <0.25 µm (filter E) was observed in our results during spring and summer, and conversely a higher average ratio of SPM particles in the size range 2.5 to 0.25 µm (filter B, C, D) during autumn and winter (p = 0.032).…”

Evidence-Based Considerations Exploring Relations between SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic and Air Pollution: Involvement of PM2.5-Mediated Up-Regulation of the Viral Receptor ACE-2

“…We suggest a possible biological connection between PM 2.5 exposure and the human SARS-CoV-2 receptor protein ACE-2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2), supported by a bioinformatic analysis of the ACE-2 gene promoter region. PM 2.5 particles contain different molecules, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals and volatile compounds [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. PAHs are known to stimulate eukaryotic cell response by activating the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which in turn activates the expression of target genes by the binding of specific DNA consensus motifs, the xenobiotic response element (XRE) and the non-canonical xenobiotic response element (NC-XRE) [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”