Atmospheric PAHs emissions during industrial legacy site remediation: gas-particle partitioning, source apportionment, and cancer risk assessment.
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BACKGROUND: Industrial legacy sites are widespread globally, and remediation activities are expanding quickly. These operations can disturb contaminated soil and release or generate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including benzo[a]pyrene, a known carcinogen. Current remediation practices mainly target soil and groundwater, and potential air PAH emissions have received little attention. This study addresses this gap by quantifying PAH releases during on-site remediation, characterizing gas-particle partitioning, identifying major emission sources, and assessing cancer risks in different age groups. METHODS: Ambient air was sampled at five locations within and around a remediation area and analyzed for 16 priority PAHs. Gas-particle partitioning was assessed using multiple models. Source contributions were resolved using positive matrix factorization. The cancer risks from inhalation and dermal exposure were estimated following U.S. EPA guidance and refined with Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: PAH concentrations ranged from 18.9 to 37.0 ng/m3. Absorption dominated gas-particle, and the L-M-Y model showed the highest predictive accuracy. Five source factors were identified, with remediation activities contributing 30.7 % of total PAHs. The total cancer risk within the remediation areas exceeded 1 × 10-6, with the highest risk in children (1.28 × 10-6). Monte Carlo simulations showed that over 22.9 % of cases exceeded the risk threshold, indicating potential cancer risk. Sensitivity analysis highlighted AF, ED, and BaPeq as key determinants. CONCLUSIONS: Remediation activities can generate PAH emissions and associated health risks. The findings underscore the need for targeted emission-control measures and protective strategies to mitigate health impacts during remediation activities.