Heavy Metal Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Atmospheric PM_2.5 in Huairou District of Beijing in 2017

Objectives To study concentration and heavy metal pollution characteristics of atmospheric PM_2.5in Huairou district of Beijing and evaluate the hazard to human.

Methods From January to December 2017, 84 samples of environmental atmospheric PM_2.5 were collected in Huairou area. The concentration characteristics of PM_2.5 and five heavy metal elements (Cd, Cr, Ni, Mn, and Pb) were analyzed by using SPSS 23.0. The non-carcinogenic risk values and carcinogenic risk values of heavy metal elements for respiratory exposure using the Health Risk Assessment Model of US Environmental Protection Agency, and their health risks were assessed.

Results The average annual concentration of atmospheric PM_2.5 in Huairou district was 46.39 μg/m³, which is lower than the secondary standard of environmental air quality in China (75 μg/m³). The concentration of heavy metals was ranked from the highest to the lowest as Pb > Mn > Cr > Ni > Cd, the non-carcinogenic risk values (hazard quote, HQ) of 5 heavy metals were children > adult males > adult females, and the carcinogenic risk values of the 3 heavy metals were ranked from the highest to the lowest as Ni > Cd > Cr. The adult males had the highest carcinogenic risk, followed by adult females, and the carcinogenic risk to children was relatively minimal.

Conclusions The non-carcinogenic risk value HQ of the five heavy metals were all less than 1, indicating that the impact on human health was small.