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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at traffic and urban background sites of northern Greece: source apportionment of ambient PAH levels and PAH-induced lung cancer risk

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Abstract

Thirteen particle-phase PAHs, including nine >4-ring congeners [Benz[a]anthracene (BaAn), Chrysene (Chry), Benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), Benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), Benzo[e]pyrene (BeP), Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (dBaAn), Benzo[g,h,i]perylene (BghiPe), Indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene (IP)], listed by IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as class 1, class 2A, and 2B carcinogens, plus four ≤4-ring congeners [Phenanthrene (Ph), Anthracene (An), Fluoranthene (Fl), Pyrene (Py)], were concurrently measured in inhalable and respirable particle fractions (PM10 and PM2.5) at a heavy-traffic and an urban background site in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, during the warm and the cold period of the year. Carcinogenic and mutagenic potencies of the PAH-bearing particles were calculated, and the inhalation cancer risk (ICR) for local population was estimated. Finally, Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) modeling was employed for the source apportionment of ambient PAH levels and the estimated lung cancer risk. Resulted inhalation cancer risk during winter was found to be equivalent in the city center and the urban background area suggesting that residential wood burning may offset the benefits from minor traffic emissions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out using filter samples that were collected in the framework of the ACEPT-AIR LIFE+09 ENV/GR/000289 project funded by the European Community (LIFE+Environment Policy and Governance). We are also indebted to Dr. A.G. Kelessis, Municipality of Thessaloniki, for providing air pollution and meteorological data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University, GR-54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Evangelia Manoli, Athanasios Kouras, Olga Karagkiozidou, Georgios Argyropoulos, Dimitra Voutsa & Constantini Samara

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  1. Evangelia Manoli
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  2. Athanasios Kouras
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  3. Olga Karagkiozidou
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  4. Georgios Argyropoulos
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  5. Dimitra Voutsa
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  6. Constantini Samara
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Correspondence to Constantini Samara.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Manoli, E., Kouras, A., Karagkiozidou, O. et al. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at traffic and urban background sites of northern Greece: source apportionment of ambient PAH levels and PAH-induced lung cancer risk. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 3556–3568 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5573-5

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