Assessment of potential ecological risk for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban soils with high level of atmospheric particulate matter concentration.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be representative carcinogenic environmental pollutants with high toxicity. However, information on the potential ecological and environmental risks of PAH contamination in soil remains scarce. Thus, this study was evaluated the potential ecological risks of PAHs in soils of five Korean areas (Gunsan (GS), Gwangju, Yeongnam, Busan, and Gangwon) using organic carbon (OC)-normalized analysis, mean effect range-median quotient (M-ERM-Q), toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) analysis, and risk quotient (RQ) derived by the species sensitivity distribution model. In this study, atmospheric particulate matter has a significant effect on soil pollution in GS through the presence of hopanes and the similar pattern of PAHs in soil and atmospheric PAHs. From analysis of source identification, combustion sources in soils of GS were important PAH sources. For PAHs in soils of GS, the OC-normalized analysis, M-ERM-Q, and TEQ analysis have 26.78 × 105 ng/g-OC, 0.218, and 49.72, respectively. Therefore, the potential ecological risk assessment results showed that GS had moderate-high ecological risk and moderate-high carcinogenic risk, whereas the other regions had low ecological risk and low-moderate carcinogenic risk. The risk level (M-ERM-Q) of PAH contamination in GS was similar to that in Changchun and Xiangxi Bay in China. The Port Harcourt City in Nigeria for PAH has the highest risk (M-ERM-Q = 4.02 and TEQ = 7923). Especially, compared to China (RQPhe =0.025 and 0.05), and Nigeria (0.059), phenanthrene showed the highest ecological risk in Korea (0.001-0.18). Korea should focus on controlling the release of PAHs originating from the PM in GS.

Assessment of potential environmental and human risks for Bisphenol AF contaminant.

Bisphenol AF (BPAF) is found in high concentrations in aquatic environments due to the increased use of thermal paper and food packaging. However, there have been relatively few toxicological studies and potential risk assessments of BPAF. In this study, the risk quotient (RQ) and hazard quotient (HQ) of BPAF were derived to present the safety standards for environmental risk management and protection in lakes, rivers, bays, and Italian regions. We applied the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method based on the previous ecotoxicological data and the results of supplementary toxicity tests on BPAF. From the SSD curves, the hazardous concentration for 5 % of the species (HC5) values for the acute and chronic toxicity data were 464.75 µg/L and 3.59 µg/L, respectively, and the acute- and chronic-based predicted no-effect concentration were derived as 154.92 µg/L and 1.20 µg/L, respectively. The acute-based RQ (RQA)values of BPAF in all regions were negligible (RQ < 0.1). The chronic-based RQ (RQC) in the Xitang River (XR) and the Central Italy (CI) showed a considerably high ecological risk (12.77 and 1.29) and the Hangzhou Bay (0.21), the South and North Italy (0.79 and 0.27), and the Tamagawa River (0.13) had a medium ecological risk (0.1 < RQ < 1.0). However, the HQ values based on the tolerable daily intake for BPAF over all age groups in these regions was < 0.1, indicating the low health risk. Nonetheless, the result of this study indicates that BPAF contamination is serious in XR and CI, and their use and emissions require continuous monitoring.