Inhalation exposure and health risks for newsagents exposed to atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Tehran, Iran

Many workers such as newsagents are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in urban atmosphere. The present study was designed to determine the levels of newsagents' inhalation exposure to PAHs found in ambient air of Tehran, Iran and to assess the health risks with the toxic equivalency factor (TEF) approach. Ninety personal exposure samples were collected during the summer season (representing warm period samples) and the fall season (representing cold period samples) of 2013. Sixteen priority PAHs from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) pollutants list were selected for analysis of newsagents' personal daily exposure. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in the breathing zone air of newsagents in the summer and fall seasons were 0.122 ± 0.036 μg/m3 and 0.361 ± 0.077 μg/m3, respectively. The obtained benzo[a]pyrene equivalent BaP(eq) values of 16 USEPA PAHs were higher in the fall season than those obtained for summer season. Comparing the daily inhaled dose of PAHs in the summer and fall seasons showed that the highest daily inhaled dose (13 μg) was calculated for benzo[a]anthracene in the cold period (fall seasons' samples). Special attention should be paid to protect newsagents in relation to PAH exposure.