Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in settled dust of playgrounds in Thessaloniki, Greece: Concentration levels and implications for childhood cancer risk.
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Young children may be exposed to chemical pollutants accumulated in settled dust of playgrounds. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogenic/mutagenic compounds, are an important class of playground dust pollutants originating from various sources. This study investigated PAH concentrations, profiles, and sources in settled dust from public playgrounds in Thessaloniki, Greece, with different flooring materials: synthetic rubber (tartan), sand, and pavement tiles. Concentrations of total PAHs (Σ12PAH) and carcinogenic PAHs (ΣcarcPAH) were found 6 and 7 times higher in tartan-coated playgrounds than in sand-covered playgrounds. Moreover, in tartan-coated playgrounds where the parents' waiting area was covered with pavement tiles, the dust from tartan surfaces showed significantly higher Σ12PAH and ΣcarcPAH contents (5-fold and 3-fold, respectively) compared to dust from pavement tile surfaces. This suggests potential aging and breakdown of the tartan flooring into small particles that mix with settled dust. The cancer risk for children from exposure to playground dust PAHs through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact was assessed. The mean total (all routes) ILCR for children playing in tartan-coated playgrounds (7.83 × 10-7) was found to be higher than the corresponding risks for sand covered playgrounds, or pavement tile covered surfaces (1.22 × 10-7 and 9.48 × 10-8, respectively), and only slightly below the limit above which there is a potential risk (1 × 10-6). Dermal contact was found to be the main exposure route contributing to ILCR followed by ingestion, with negligible contribution of inhalation.