Trace metals in size-fractionated particulate matter in a Portuguese hospital: exposure risks assessment and comparisons with other countries

Abstract

Hospitals are considered as a special and important type of indoor public place where air quality has significant impacts on potential health outcomes. Information on indoor air quality of these environments, concerning exposures to partic-ulate matter (PM) and related toxicity, is limited though. This work aims to evaluate risks associated with inhalation exposure to ten toxic metals and chlorine (As, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, Mn, Se, Ba, Al, Si, and Cl) in coarse (PM2.5-10) and fine (PM2.5) particles in a Portuguese hospital in comparison with studies representative of other countries. Samples were collected during 1 month in one urban hospital; elemental PM characterization was determined by proton-induced X-ray emission. Noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were assessed according to the methodology provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA; Region III Risk-Based Concentration Table) for three different age categories of hospital personnel (adults, >20, and <65 years) and patients (considering nine different age groups, i.e., children of 1-3 years to seniors of >65 years). The estimated noncarcinogenic risks due to occupational inhalation exposure to PM2.5-bound metals ranged from 5.88×10−6 for Se (adults, 55-64 years) to 9.35×10 −1 for As (adults, 20-24 years) with total noncarcinogenic risks (sum of all metals) above the safe level for all three age categories. As and Cl (the latter due to its high abundances) were the most important contributors (approximately 90 %) to noncarcinogenic risks. For PM2.5-10, noncarcinogenic risks of all metals were acceptable to all age groups. Concerning carcinogenic risks, for Ni and Pb, they were negligible (<1×10 −6 ) in both PM fractions for all age groups of hospital personnel; potential risks were observed for As and Cr with values in PM2.5 exceeding (up to 62 and 5 times, respectively) USEPA guideline across all age groups; for PM2.5-10, increased excess risks of As and Cr were observed particularly for long-term exposures (adults, 55-64 years). Total carcinogenic risks highly (up to 67 times) exceeded the recommended level for all age groups, thus clearly showing that occupational exposure to metals in fine particles pose significant risks. If the extensive working hours of hospital medical staff were considered, the respective noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were increased, the latter for PM2.5 exceeding the USEPA cumulative guideline of 10 . For adult patients, the estimated noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were approximately three times higher than for personnel, with particular concerns observed for children and adolescents.

Fractionation of trace elements and human health risk of submicron particulate matter (PM1) collected in the surroundings of coking plants

“…This is also confirmed by literature data presenting the results of other investigations (Slezakova et al 2014). A high content of As (91.91%), Pb (86.57%) and Cd (77.66%) in PM2.5 mobile fractions in an industrial area in China is also presented by the research of Li et al (2015).…”

“…The problem with the assessment of health risk due to the impact of mobile forms of toxic and carcinogenic elements in various fractions of particulate matter in the world is raised only sporadically (Fernández Espinosa et al 2002; Infante and Acosta 1991). In this work, the health risk assessment has been based on a US EPA model (H. Li et al 2015; Slezakova et al 2014; Sun et al 2014; Wiseman and Zereini 2014), which contains an exposure evaluation and risk characteristics. The assessment of the impact of the forecasted exposure to mobile forms of the examined carcinogenic and toxic elements contained in PM1 in the surroundings of coking plants (K1–K4) was conducted on the basis of the results of chemical fractionation based on sequential extraction.…”

Aerosol Distribution During Open Suctioning and Long-Term Surveillance of Air Quality in a Respiratory Care Center Within a Medical Center

“…7 Both temperature and relative humidity were the recommended indices to reflect the efficiency of ventilation systems in hospitals. 13 The most important index for evaluating indoor air quality was CO 2 concentration, since it was correlated with both number of persons in a space and the PM concentrations, 14,15 and was significantly related to airborne bacterial count.…”

“…7,[23][24][25][26][27][28] Slezakova et al 7 found high averaged 24-h particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) in a Portuguese hospital. Moreover, a previous study found that 90% of CO 2 samples in the ICU of a medical center in northern Taiwan exceeded 1,000 ppm, and 20% of PM 2 samples failed to meet the air quality standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).…”

PM10 size distribution of metals and environmental-sanitary risk analysis in the city of Torino

“…We must also account the 332 fact that exposure to metals occurs also via ingestion and dermal contact and, if these routes are 333 considered, the estimated risks might be higher (Slezakova et al, 2013). …”