Trace element contents in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in urban school microenvironments near a contaminated beach with mine tailings, Chañaral, Chile

Abstract

Air quality in schools is an important public health issue because children spend a considerable part of their daily life in classrooms. Particulate size and chemical composition has been associated with negative health effects. We studied levels of trace element concentrations in fine particulate matter (PM) in indoor versus outdoor school settings from six schools in Chañaral, a coastal city with a beach severely polluted with mine tailings. Concentrations of trace elements were measured on two consecutive days during the summer and winter of 2012 and 2013 and determined using X-ray fluorescence. Source apportionment and element enrichment were measured using principal components analysis and enrichment factors. Trace elements were higher in indoor school spaces, especially in classrooms compared with outdoor environments. The most abundant elements were Na, Cl, S, Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Ti, and Si, associated with earth's crust. Conversely, an extremely high enrichment factor was determined for Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr; heavy metals associated with systemic and carcinogenic risk effects, whose probably origin sources are industrial and mining activities. These results suggest that the main source of trace elements in PM from these school microenvironments is a mixture of dust contaminated with mine tailings and marine aerosols. Policymakers should prioritize environmental management changes to minimize further environmental damage and its direct impact on the health of children exposed.

Environmental Health Risk Perception: Adaptation of a Population-Based Questionnaire from Latin America

“…To date, only two studies have assessed the effects of this pollution on the residents of Chañaral. These studies reported adverse respiratory health effects in resident children [15] and associations between exposure to metals from mining and inflammatory markers [19]. Specifically, median urinary levels of total arsenic (44.6 µg/L), inorganic arsenic (17.0 µg/L) and nickel (2.8 µg/L) were higher than in other areas of Chile.…”

“…The community with the highest potential environmental risk is Chañaral, a city with a long history linked to mining activity since the beginning of the 20th century in the Potrerillos and El Salvador copper mines. Several studies in this area confirm chronic human exposure to metals [15,16]. In this context, there are limited studies on risk perception and even more so on environmental health risk perception in Chile [3,5,17].…”

Indoor Particulate Matter in Urban Households: Sources, Pathways, Characteristics, Health Effects, and Exposure Mitigation

“…Several methods are used to fingerprint the most likely indoor PM [ 146 , 147 ]. For example, enrichment factors are calculated for individual elements in terms of their average concentration in the Earth’s crust.…”

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Prevalence in Aerosol and Spiders’ Webs in Karst Caves: Low Risk for Speleotherapy

“…The following components are relevant for a suitable cave climate used to treat asthma: absence of normal biotic conditions (e.g., light), temperature difference between the underground and surface environment, low air circulation (<0.1 m/s), presence of medium to high relative humidity air, high levels of air ionization, low dust levels (0.05 mg/m 3 ), small amounts of pollen (<30 mg/m 3 ), low levels of contamination by bacteria and other bioaerosols, climate stability, and the presence of the finest aerosols of vital elements (Na, K, Mg, Ca etc.) [4].…”