Abstract
Objective
Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in street dust in the Tamale metropolis, Ghana, have been measured in this study.
Results
The concentrations of the various types of PAHs identified in street dust samples from high vehicular traffic density in the metropolis are as follows: naphthalene, 10,000 μg/kg; acenaphthylene, 13,000 μg/kg; acenaphthene, 76,000 μg/kg; fluorene, 18,900 μg/kg; phenanthrene, 40,000 μg/kg; anthracene, 21,000 μg/kg; fluoranthene, 35,200 μg/kg; pyrene, 119,000 μg/kg; benzo[a]anthracene, 17,700 μg/kg; chrysene, 10,600 μg/kg; benzo[k]fluoranthene, 18,700 μg/kg; benzo[a]pyrene, 10,900 μg/kg and benzo[g, h, i]perylene, 21,000 μg/kg. Calculation of the phenanthrene/anthracene ratio indicated that the PAHs identified in this study were from vehicular fallout as the ratio was less than 10.
Conclusion
It is clear from the results of the study that road users in the Tamale metropolis, especially hawkers, are exposed to the harmful effects of PAHs, and this suggests the need for the establishment of mitigation measures by the regulatory agencies.
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Acknowledgments
We thank the Government of Ghana for providing funding for this study as well as drivers and personnel of the Motor and Traffic Unit (MTTU) of Ghana Police Service for their assistance during the sampling period.
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Obiri, S., Cobbina, S.J., Armah, F.A. et al. Quantification and characterization of vehicle-based polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in street dust from the Tamale metropolis, Ghana. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18, 1166–1173 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0465-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0465-9