Potentially toxic elements in air and rainwater in Abidjan District: a health risk assessment

Environmental pollution is a major global issue. Ports, heavy traffic, and the presence of industries increase this pollution in some megacities like Abidjan. This study assessed potentially toxic elements in aerosols and rainwater and estimated associated health risks in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Aerosol and rainwater samples were collected in the communes of Cocody and Treichville during 2019 and 2020, taking into account the two main climatic seasons. Analysis of trace metal element (TME) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels revealed a dual origin both natural and anthropogenic for these pollutants in the environments studied with concentration between not determined (nd) and 0.056 ng·m^-3 in aerosol and between nd and 0.0805 meq·L^-1 in rainwater for TME. PAH concentrations vary from nd to 0.0798 ng·m^-3 in aerosols. The ILCR values for inhaling BaP calculated are between nd and 4.02 × 10^-16 and from nd to 1.44 × 10^-15, respectively, for adult and children. The cancer risk levels calculated in rainwater for TMEs through oral and dermal pathways were all below 1 × 10^-6 in rainwater. The results show that children are more vulnerable than adults and highlight the importance of continuous monitoring to anticipate and mitigate health risks, especially for the most vulnerable groups.