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Characteristics, emission sources and health risk assessment of trace elements in size-segregated aerosols during haze and non-haze periods at Ningbo, China

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Abstract

To characterize trace elements from inhalable particles and to estimate human health risks, airborne particles at an urban area of Ningbo city during haze and non-haze periods from November 2013 to May 2014 were collected by a nine-stage sampler. Seventeen trace elements (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb) were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentrations of trace elements are in the ranges of 0.51 ng m−3 (Co) ~ 1.53 µg m−3 (K) for fine particles (Dp < 2.1 μm), and 1.07 ng m−3 (Co) ~ 4.96 µg m−3 (K) for coarse particles (2.1 μm < Dp < 9.0 μm) during the haze days, which are 1.15 –4.30 and 1.23– 7.83-fold as those of non-haze days, respectively. These elements could be divided into crustal elements (Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, Fe and Co), non-crustal elements (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) and mixed elements (K, V, Cr, Mn, Ni and As) according to their enrichment factor values (EFs) and size distribution characteristics. Five emission sources of trace elements were identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF) modeling. The main sources of trace elements in fine particles are traffic emission (21.7%), coal combustion (23.6%) and biomass burning (32.1%); however, soil dust (61.5%), traffic emission (21.9%) and industry emissions (11.8%) are the main contributors for coarse particles. With the help of the multiple-path particle dosimetry (MPPD) model, it was found that deposition fractions of seventeen measured elements in the pulmonary region were in the range of 12.4%–15.1% and 6.66% –12.3% for the fine and coarse particles, respectively. The human health risk assessment (HRA) was employed according to the deposition concentration in the pulmonary region. The non-carcinogenic risk (HI) was below the safety limit (1.00). Nonetheless, the excess lifetime carcinogenic risk (ELCR) for adults increased by 2.42-fold during the haze days (2.06 × 10–5) as compared to that of non-haze days (8.50 × 10–6) in fine particles. Cr (VI) and As together contributed 96.5% and 96.3% of the integrated cancer risks during the haze and non-haze periods, respectively. Moreover, the related ELCR values in coarse particles were 36.7% and 62.8% of those in the fine particles for the non-haze period and haze period, respectively.

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source to the sum of elements in each size bin

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source to the sum of elements in fine, coarse and large particles during the haze and non-haze days

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Acknowledgements

The research was conducted at the International Doctoral Innovation Centre (IDIC), University of Nottingham Ningbo China. The authors of the present study acknowledge the financial support from IDIC, Ningbo Education Bureau, Ningbo Science and Technology Bureau, and the University of Nottingham. This research was also partially supported by the Ningbo Municipal Innovation Team Project (2017C510001) and UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G037345/1 and EP/L016362/1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Doctoral Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, Zhejiang, PR China

    Liangping Long & Jun He

  2. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, Zhejiang, PR China

    Liangping Long & Jun He

  3. Department of Mechanical, Material and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, Zhejiang, PR China

    Xiaogang Yang

  4. Key Laboratory of Carbonaceous Wastes Processing and Process Intensification Research of Zhejiang Province, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, PR China

    Jun He

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Long, L., He, J. & Yang, X. Characteristics, emission sources and health risk assessment of trace elements in size-segregated aerosols during haze and non-haze periods at Ningbo, China. Environ Geochem Health 43, 2945–2963 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-020-00757-2

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