Sources and human health risks associated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in urban dust: A global perspective

Li Chen, Linchuan Fang, Xing Yang, Xiaosan Luo, Tianyi Qiu, Yi Zeng, Fengyu Huang, Faqin Dong, Jason C. White, Nanthi Bolan, Jörg Rinklebe

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Long-term exposure to urban dust containing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) poses detrimental impacts on human health. However, studies estimating human health risks in urban dusts from a global perspective are scarce. We evaluated data for twelve PTEs in urban dusts across 59 countries from 463 published articles, including their concentrations, input sources, and probabilistic risks to human health. We found that 34.1 and 60.3% of those investigated urban dusts have been heavily contaminated with As and Cd, respectively. The input of PTEs was significantly correlated with economic structure due to emissions of industrial activities and traffic emissions being the major sources. Based on the Monte Carlo simulation, we found that the mean hazard index below the safe threshold (1.0) could still cause non-negligible risks to human health. Arsenic and Cr were the major PTEs threatening human health, and relatively high risk levels were observed in cities in China, Korea, Chile, Malaysia, and Australia. Importantly, our analysis suggested that PTEs threaten the health of approximately 92 million adults and 280 million children worldwide. Overall, our study provides important foundational understanding and guidance for policy decision-making to reduce the potential risks associated with PTE exposure and to promote sustainable development of urban economies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number108708
Number of pages11
JournalEnvironment International
Volume187
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2024

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