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Toxicity of atmospheric particle-bound PAHs: an environmental perspective

  • 14th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment (ICCE 2013, Barcelona, June 25 - 28, 2013)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants that represent a risk not only to humans, but to all living organisms. High-molecular weight PAHs are more toxic than lighter relatives, and also have a higher tendency to bind onto air particles (i.e., particle matter, PM). PM is a major constituent of air pollution. Adequate assessment of the biological impact of PM requires the analysis, not only of the effects on human health, but also on the environment. Since the aquatic systems work as a natural sink to these air pollutants, assessing the effects of particle-bound PAHs on aquatic organisms may further characterize its potential aquatic toxicity, also providing simple and low-cost alternative assays to investigate PM biological effects in vivo. We review the current scientific literature, addressing the atmospheric PAHs fate, transformation and deposition, pertinent particle-bound PAHs toxicity data, and the potential aquatic toxic burden. Conceptual and experimental procedures that could improve future investigations and risk assessments are also considered.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the financial support of the Spanish Ministry through the project TEA-PARTICLE (CGL2011-29621; 2011–2013), and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for the doctoral grant of Sofia Mesquita (SFRH/BD/80710/2011) funded by the Program POPH–QREN through the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science and the European Social Fund.

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  1. IDAEA-CSIC—Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Sofia Raquel Mesquita, Barend L. van Drooge, Carlos Barata & Benjamin Piña

  2. Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal

    Sofia Raquel Mesquita, Natividade Vieira & Laura Guimarães

  3. Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal

    Sofia Raquel Mesquita & Natividade Vieira

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  1. Sofia Raquel Mesquita
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Correspondence to Sofia Raquel Mesquita.

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Mesquita, S.R., L. van Drooge, B., Barata, C. et al. Toxicity of atmospheric particle-bound PAHs: an environmental perspective. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 11623–11633 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-2628-y

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