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Analysis of the Ambient Particulate Matter-induced Chromosomal Aberrations Using an In Vitro System
Published on: December 21, 2016
Source-oriented pollution characteristics and decay kinetics of environmentally persistent free radicals in PM2.5 and
Salman Shah1, Jing Chen1, Aansa Rukya Saleem2
1State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Center of Atmospheric Environmental Studies, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Abstract:
Environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are emerging pollutants in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) with significant health implications. This study investigated the pollution characteristics, decay kinetics, and potential health risks of EPFRs in PM2.5 and PM10 collected from various sources and ambient air in Islamabad, Pakistan. Solid fuel combustion, including biomass, waste and residential/industrial coal burning, were identified as major sources of atmospheric EPFRs in Islamabad. Meanwhile, mineral particles from stone crushing exhibited inherently higher ·OH generation compared to other sources, highlighting their significant contribution to the oxidative potential of ambient dust. The decay lifetimes of EPFRs ranged in 43.5-63.0 days for PM2.5 and 37.2-67.8 days for PM10 in ambient air, and 38.4-51.6 days for PM2.5 and 40.2-53.4 days for PM10 from source emissions, respectively, closely resembling those of semiquinone-type radicals. For PM samples that were more prone to produce EPFRs under simulated sunlight irradiation, the associated EPFRs were more reactive and decayed faster, while EPFRs in those less prone to generate EPFRs generally exhibited slower decay. This source-oriented investigation of EPFRs in PM thereby provides critical insights for developing targeted PM control strategies to mitigate their health risks.
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