Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Airborne Heavy Metals Collected from Beijing Bus Stations

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Xiaoxia Zheng¹  Wenji Zhao¹  Xing Yan²  Tongtong Shu¹  Qiulin Xiong¹  Fantao Chen¹ 

[1] Department of Cartography and Geographic Information System, College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China; E-Mails:;Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; E-Mail:

关键词: dustfall;    heavy metals;    bus station;    health risk;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120809658

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Airborne dust, which contains high levels of toxic metals, is recognized as one of the most harmful environment component. The purpose of this study was to evaluate heavy metals pollution in dustfall from bus stations in Beijing, and to perform a risk assessment analysis for adult passengers. The concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The spatial distribution, pollution level and potential health risk of heavy metals were analyzed by Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping technology, geo-accumulation index and health risk assessment model, respectively. The results indicate that dust samples have elevated metal concentrations, especially for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. The nine metals can be divided into two categories in terms of spatial distribution and pollution level. Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Pb and Zn reach contaminated level and have similar spatial patterns with hotspots distributed within the Fifth Ring Road. While the hot spot areas of Co and V are always out of the Fifth Ring Road. Health risk assessment shows that both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of selected metals were within the safe range.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.