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  • Assessment of cancer and noncancer health risks from exposure to PAHs in street dust in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana.

Assessment of cancer and noncancer health risks from exposure to PAHs in street dust in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana.

Journal of environmental science and health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering (2013-02-06)
Samuel Obiri, Samuel J Cobbina, Frederick A Armah, Isaac Luginaah
ABSTRACT

This study is part of a broader initiative to characterize, quantify and assess the human health risk associated with exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in street dust along the Trans-ECOWAS highway in West Africa. In the first part, PAHs were characterized and quantified in low- and high-traffic zones. In this study, cancer and noncancer human health risks from exposure to (PAHs) in street dust in the Tamale metropolis, Ghana were assessed in accordance with the USEPA risk assessment guidelines. The results of the study as obtained from inhalation of benzo [a] anthracene (BaA), benzo [a] pyrene (BaP), benzo [k] fluoranthene (BkF) and chrysene via central tendency exposure parameters (CTE) by trespassers (street hawkers including children and adults) in street dust within low traffic zones in the Tamale metropolis are 1.6E-02, 4.7E-02, 1.8E-03, and 1.6E-04 respectively. For reasonable maximum exposure parameters (RME), risk values of 1.2E-01, 3.5E-01, 1.3E-02 and 1.2E-03 respectively were obtained for benzo [a] anthracene, benzo [a] pyrene, benzo [k] fluoranthene and chrysene. Hazard index for acenaphthene, anthracene, fluoranthene, fluorine, naphthalene and pyrene in the CTE and RME scenarios were 2.2, 3.E-01, 2.6, 2.6, 100, 38 and 12, 1.7,15, 14, 550, 210 respectively. Generally, the cancer health risk associated with inhalation of benzo [a] anthracene, benzo [a] pyrene, benzo [k] fluoranthene and chrysene revealed that resident adults and children in the Tamale metropolis are at risk from exposure to these chemicals. The results of this preliminary assessment that quantified PAH related health risks along this part of the Trans-ECOWAS highway revealed that, there is the need for regulatory agencies to put in comprehensive measures to mitigate the risks posed to these categories of human receptors.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Supelco
Benzo[k]fluoranthene, certified reference material, TraceCERT®, Manufactured by: Sigma-Aldrich Production GmbH, Switzerland
Sigma-Aldrich
Anthracene, suitable for scintillation, ≥99.0% (GC)
Supelco
Anthracene, analytical standard
Sigma-Aldrich
Anthracene, sublimed grade, ≥99%
Supelco
Anthracene, certified reference material, TraceCERT®, Manufactured by: Sigma-Aldrich Production GmbH, Switzerland
Supelco
Anthracene, analytical standard
Benzo[k]fluoranthene, BCR®, certified reference material
Supelco
Benzo[a]pyrene solution, 100 μg/mL in cyclohexane, analytical standard
Supelco
Benzo[a]pyrene solution, certified reference material, TraceCERT®, 1000 μg/mL in acetone
Supelco
Benzo[a]pyrene solution, certified reference material, TraceCERT®, 200 μg/mL in methylene chloride
Sigma-Aldrich
Benzo[k]fluoranthene, for fluorescence, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Anthracene, ReagentPlus®, 99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Anthracene, reagent grade, 97%
Supelco
Chrysene, analytical standard
Chrysene, BCR®, certified reference material
Sigma-Aldrich
Benzo[a]pyrene, ≥96% (HPLC)
Supelco
Benzo[a]pyrene, analytical standard, for environmental analysis
Supelco
Benzo[a]pyrene, certified reference material, TraceCERT®, Manufactured by: Sigma-Aldrich Production GmbH, Switzerland
Supelco
Chrysene, certified reference material, TraceCERT®, Manufactured by: Sigma-Aldrich Production GmbH, Switzerland