Abstract
Estimation of the exposure to air pollutants is more relevant than the ambient air quality since it gives a better indication of health risk. The primary purpose of this study is to quantify the inhalation exposure risk due to atmospheric heavy metals pollutants emitted from different activities in the city on population, explores the main factors influence differences in inhalation intake of the concerned population groups and finally suggest broad strategies for reducing inhalation intake burden. Samples of ambient urban air were collected during June–August 2007 from eight sampling sites representing different activities and land use. Measured elements in airborne particulates were chromium, cobalt, nickel; iron, manganese, copper, zinc and vanadium. Different techniques of AAS were used according to the analytical conditions for each element. The atmospheric mean concentrations (μg/m3) of the measured metals at different sites were found to be in the range of: Cr (0.004–0.032), Co (0.0001–0.046), V (0.007–0.1), Mn (0.035–0.283), Fe (1.702–9.547) Ni (0.002– 0.042), Cu (0.006–0.17), and Zn (0.023–2.6). Spatial differences between collection sites were clearly noted reflecting the characteristics and different activities of each site. In this study, outdoor population were divided into two categories, normal particular population viz. outdoor workers e.g. traffic constables and casual outdoor workers like watchmen, roadside shopkeepers etc. Using environmental concentration data presently available from Cairo (especially for air), the paper will compute human exposure through inhalation intake route. The total estimated inhalation intake based on average concentration of atmospheric metals in Rod El-Farag and El-Tebeen sites were the highest for almost all metals giving excellent relation between concentrations and intake values for the investigated population. The current study may allow concluding that exposure to chemical emissions from different anthropogenic activities is related to risk.
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Hassanien, M.A., Abdellatif, N.M., Saleh, E.A., Mohamed, A.M.F. (2009). Inhalation Intake Assessment of Air Pollutants Exposure Over Cairo, Egypt. In: Simeonov, L.I., Hassanien, M.A. (eds) Exposure and Risk Assessment of Chemical Pollution — Contemporary Methodology. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2335-3_21
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