Zhipeng Bai

A seasonal study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 in five typical cities of Liaoning Province, China.

Fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10) samples collected in five cities (Shenyang, Anshan, Jinzhou, Fushun and Dalian), Liaoning Province, China in 2004 and 2005 were analyzed by using a HPLC equipped with fluorescence and UV detectors. Results showed total PAHs concentrations in PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10) were in the range of 75.32-1900.89 ng m(-3) and 16.74-303.24 ng m(-3), respectively. 90% of the total PAHs were in PM(2.5). PAHs in PM(2.5) had a winter to summer ratio varying from 6.5 to 125.8 while PAHs in PM(2.5-10) had a ratio ranging from 1.7 to 37.6. Total PAHs concentrations were most abundant at residential/commercial sites and were fewest at an industrial site for both PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10). Urban background sites showed unexpected higher PAHs concentrations. Total BaP equivalent concentration (BaPeq) for PM(2.5) ranged from 7.80 to 88.42 ng m(-3) in different function zones. Similarities of PAHs profiles between sampling sites and between fine and coarse fractions were compared by coefficient of divergence which indicated that remarkable differences in PAHs compositions existed. Principal component analysis (PCA) associated with diagnostic ratios revealed coal combustion and vehicle emission were the major sources for PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10) associated PAHs.

Using geoaccumulation index to study source profiles of soil dust in China

Source apportionment studies of TSP (atmospheric particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters < or = 100 microm) and PM10 (atmospheric particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters < or = 10microm) have revealed that soil dust is an important source of these particulates in China. In this study, the contamination of soil dust was assessed through the use of a geoaccumulation index (I(geo)). The mass concentration profiles of 17 elements (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Ba, and Pb) were established for urban soil dusts. Geochemical compositions of soils from 15 cities were used to represent background urban soil compositions. The results of this study indicated that a number of cities are severely polluted by particulates containing Ca, Cr, Ni, and Cu in both size fractions (TSP and PM10). Contamination with Zn, Pb, Co, and Br was moderate to severe (I(geo) > 2). The Al and Fe concentrations were not high enough for them to be considered contaminants.

Health risk assessment of personal inhalation exposure to volatile organic compounds in Tianjin, China

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) exposure can induce a range of adverse human health effects. To date, however, personal VOCs exposure and residential indoor and outdoor VOCs levels have not been well characterized in the mainland of China, less is known about health risk of personal exposure to VOCs. In this study, personal exposures for 12 participants as well as residential indoor/outdoor, workplace and in vehicle VOCs concentrations were measured simultaneously in Tianjin, China. All VOCs samples were collected using passive samplers for 5 days and were analyzed using Thermal Desorption GC-MS method. U.S. Environmental Protect Agencys Inhalation Unit Risks were used to calculate the inhalation cancer health risk. To assess uncertainty of health risk estimate, Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were implemented. Personal exposures were greater than residential indoor exposures as expected with the exception of carbon tetrachloride. Exposure assessment showed modeled and measured concentrations are statistically linearly correlated for all VOCs (P<0.01) except chloroform, confirming that estimated personal exposure using time-weighted model can provide reasonable estimate of personal inhalation exposure to VOCs. Indoor smoking and recent renovation were identified as two major factors influencing personal exposure based on the time-activity pattern and factor analysis. According to the cancer risk analysis of personal exposure, benzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and 1,3-butadiene had median upper-bound lifetime cancer risks that exceeded the U.S. EPA benchmark of 1 per one million, and benzene presented the highest median risks at about 22 per one million population. The median cumulative cancer risk of personal exposure to 5 VOCs was approximately 44 per million, followed by indoor exposure (37 per million) and in vehicle exposure (36 per million). Sensitivity analysis suggested that improving the accuracy of exposure measurement in further research would advance the health risk assessment.

Receptor modeling of PM2.5, PM10 and TSP in different seasons and long-range transport analysis at a coastal site of Tianjin, China.

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM(2.5), PM(10) and TSP) were sampled synchronously during three monitoring campaigns from June 2007 to February 2008 at a coastal site in TEDA of Tianjin, China. Chemical compositions including 19 elements, 6 water-solubility ions, organic and elemental carbon were determined. principle components analysis (PCA) and chemical mass balance modeling (CMB) were applied to determine the PM sources and their contributions with the assistance of NSS SO(4)(2)(-), the mass ratios of NO(3)(-) to SO(4)(2)(-) and OC to EC. Air mass backward trajectory model was compared with source apportionment results to evaluate the origin of PM. Results showed that NSS SO(4)(2)(-) values for PM(2.5) were 2147.38, 1701.26 and 239.80 ng/m(3) in summer, autumn and winter, reflecting the influence of sources from local emissions. Most of it was below zero in summer for PM(10) indicating the influence of sea salt. The ratios of NO(3)(-) to SO(4)(2)(-) was 0.19 for PM(2.5), 0.18 for PM(10) and 0.19 for TSP in winter indicating high amounts of coal consumed for heating purpose. Higher OC/EC values (mostly larger than 2.5) demonstrated that secondary organic aerosol was abundant at this site. The major sources were construction activities, road dust, vehicle emissions, marine aerosol, metal manufacturing, secondary sulfate aerosols, soil dust, biomass burning, some pharmaceutics industries and fuel-oil combustion according to PCA. Coal combustion, marine aerosol, vehicular emission and soil dust explained 5-31%, 1-13%, 13-44% and 3-46% for PM(2.5), PM(10) and TSP, respectively. Backward trajectory analysis showed air parcels originating from sea accounted for 39% in summer, while in autumn and winter the air parcels were mainly related to continental origin.

Diversities of phthalate esters in suburban agricultural soils and wasteland soil appeared with urbanization in China

The distribution of six priority phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in suburban farmland, vegetable, orchard and wasteland soils of Tianjin were obtained with gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analysis in 2009. Results showed that total PAEs varied from 0.05 to 10.4 μg g(-1), with the median value as 0.32 μg g(-1). Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and di-n-butyl phthalate are most abundant species. PAEs concentrations for the four types of soils exhibited decreasing order as vegetable soil > wasteland soil > farmland soil > orchard soil. PAEs exhibited elevated levels in more developed regions when compared with other studies. The agricultural plastic film could elevate the PAEs contents in soils. Principal component analysis indicated the emission from cosmetics and personal care products and plasticizers were important sources for PAEs in suburban soils in Tianjin. The higher PAEs contents in wasteland soils from suburban area should be paid more attention owing to large amounts of solid wastes appeared with the ongoing urbanization.

Long-term exposure to high particulate matter pollution and cardiovascular mortality: A 12-year cohort study in four cities in northern China

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that long-term exposure to relatively low levels of particulate air pollution is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in Europe and North America. However, few studies have assessed the association with high level air pollutants. We aimed to assess the cardiovascular effects of long-term exposure to high level concentrations of inhalable particulate and to identify the characteristics of the Chinese population that are susceptible to the health effects. A retrospective cohort, containing 39,054 subjects from four cities in northern China, was followed for mortality of all cause and specific cardiovascular diseases from 1998 to 2009. Information on concentrations of PM10 (particulate matter<10 μm in aerodynamic diameter) was collected from the local Environmental Monitoring Centers. The estimated exposure for the study participants was the mean concentration of PM10 over their surviving years during the cohort period. Relative risk values were obtained using Cox proportional hazards regression models after adjusting for potential confounding factors. For each 10 μg/m(3) increase in PM10, the relative risk ratios (RRs) of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, ischemic heart disease mortality, heart failure disease mortality, and cerebrovascular disease mortality were 1.24 (95% CI, 1.22-1.27), 1.23 (95% CI, 1.19-1.26), 1.37 (95% CI, 1.28-1.47), 1.11(95% CI, 1.05-1.17), and 1.23(95% CI:1.18-1.28), respectively. Results from stratified analyses suggest that the effects of PM10 on cardiovascular mortality were more pronounced in males, smokers and people with a higher socioeconomic status. Long-term exposure to PM10 increases mortality from cardiovascular disease, especially from ischemic heart disease and this association seemed to be modified by other factors. Further research that focuses on exploring dose-response relationship and inter-population comparisons is warranted.

A land use regression for predicting NO2 and PM10 concentrations in different seasons in Tianjin region, China

Land use regression (LUR) model was employed to predict the spatial concentration distribution of NO2 and PM10 in the Tianjin region based on the environmental air quality monitoring data. Four multiple linear regression (MLR) equations were established based on the most significant variables for NO2 in heating season (R2 = 0.74), and non-heating season (R2 = 0.61) in the whole study area; and PM10 in heating season (R2 = 0.72), and non-heating season (R2 = 0.49). Maps of spatial concentration distribution for NO2 and PM10 were obtained based on the MLR equations (resolution is 10 km). Intercepts of MLR equations were 0.050 (NO2, heating season), 0.035 (NO2, non-heating season), 0.068 (PM10, heating season), and 0.092 (PM10, non-heating season) in the whole study area. In the central area of Tianjin region, the intercepts were 0.042 (NO2, heating season), 0.043 (NO2, non-heating season), 0.087 (PM10, heating season), and 0.096 (PM10, non-heating season). These intercept values might imply an areas background concentrations. Predicted result derived from LUR model in the central area was better than that in the whole study area. R2 values increased 0.09 (heating season) and 0.18 (non-heating season) for NO2, and 0.08 (heating season) and 0.04 (non-heating season) for PM10. In terms of R2, LUR model performed more effectively in heating season than non-heating season in the study area and gave a better result for NO2 compared with PM10.

Investigation of speciated VOC in gasoline vehicular exhaust under ECE and EUDC test cycles

The emission factors and compositions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in exhaust gas from in-use gasoline passenger cars were characterized using a chassis dynamometer. Three passenger cars were tested at the ECE and the EUDC drive cycles to represent both urban and suburban driving scenarios. Exhaust gas was collected in Summa canisters and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Common gaseous emissions (CH(4), NOx, CO, and CO(2)) were measured by an on-board monitoring system. The VOC emission factors of different cars ranged from 0.10 to 0.25 g km(-1) at the ECE cycle, and 0.01-0.02 g km(-1) at the EUDC cycle. A total of 57 individual VOC were detected in the exhaust gas, and the weight percentages were very consistent among the three cars. Ethylene (11.80 wt.%), toluene (11.27 wt.%), and benzene (8.83 wt.%) were the most abundant VOC in exhaust gas. Aromatics (38.32%) dominated the low speed conditions (ECE), while alkanes (37.34%) were the major compounds at the high speed condition (EUDC). The total amount of alkenes did not change much between those two cycles, while ethylene is abundant in the ECE and EUDC cycles. Ozone formation potential (OFP) was calculated to estimate the ozone yield from VOC emissions by gasoline cars and the results showed that OFP of VOC emission at the ECE cycle was about ten times higher than that at the EUDC cycle.

Characterization of PM10 fraction of road dust for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from Anshan, China

Nineteen road dust samples were collected during 2005 in different parts of the urban area of Anshan, Liaoning Province, China, and 11 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) species were quantitatively analyzed using GC-MS. The results indicated that the total average concentration of PAHs over the investigated sites ranged from 48.73 to 638.26 microg/g, with a mean value of 144.25 microg/g, higher than the concentrations measured in previous studies. PAHs concentrations were higher with high molecular weight homologues (4-6 rings PAHs), accounting for 83.24-96.98%, showing combustion of petroleum fuels was a potential source. Organic carbon in road dust was considered one of the important factors that influenced the concentrations of PAHs in this study, and it was found that concentrations of total PAHs were correlated with those of organic carbon in road dust. The results of diagnostic ratios analysis showed traffic emission (gasoline or diesel) was one of the most important sources of road dust PAHs. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the major sources of road dust PAHs might be emission from traffic, steel industry, cooking and coal combustion.

Risk assessment of heavy metals in road and soil dusts within PM2.5, PM10 and PM100 fractions in Dongying city, Shandong Province, China

15 road and 14 soil dust samples were collected from an oilfield city, Dongying, from 11/2009-4/2010 and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) for V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb within PM(2.5), PM(10) and PM(100) fractions synchronously. Metal concentrations, sources and human health risk were studied. Results showed that both soil and road dust exhibited higher values for Mn and Zn and lower values for Co and Cd for the three fractions. Mass concentration ratios of PM(2.5)/PM(10) and PM(10)/PM(100) for metals in road and soil dust indicate that most of the heavy metals tend to concentrate in fine particles. Geoaccumulation index and enrichment factors analysis showed that Cu, Zn and Cd exhibited moderate or heavy contamination and significant enrichment, indicating the influence of anthropogenic sources. Vanadium, Cr, Mn and Co were mostly not enriched and were mainly influenced by crustal sources. For Ni, As and Pb, they ranged from not enriched to moderately enriched and were influenced by both crustal materials and anthropogenic sources. The conclusions were confirmed by multivariate analysis methods. Principle component analysis revealed that the major sources were vehicle emission, industrial activities, coal combustion, agricultural activities and crustal materials. The risk assessment results indicated that metal ingestion appeared to be the main exposure route followed by dermal contact. The most likely cause for cancer and other health risks are both the fine particles of soil and road dusts.