Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan.
Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 23;18(4):2177. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18042177.
Particulate matter (PM) is a major factor contributing to air quality deterioration that enters the atmosphere as a consequence of various natural and anthropogenic activities. In PM, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent a class of organic chemicals with at least two aromatic rings that are mainly directly emitted via the incomplete combustion of various organic materials. Numerous toxicological and epidemiological studies have proven adverse links between exposure to particulate matter-bound (PM-bound) PAHs and human health due to their carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Among human exposure routes, inhalation is the main pathway regarding PM-bound PAHs in the atmosphere. Moreover, the concentrations of PM-bound PAHs differ among people, microenvironments and areas. Hence, understanding the behaviour of PM-bound PAHs in the atmosphere is crucial. However, because current techniques hardly monitor PAHs in real-time, timely feedback on PAHs including the characteristics of their concentration and composition, is not obtained via real-time analysis methods. Therefore, in this review, we summarize personal exposure, and indoor and outdoor PM-bound PAH concentrations for different participants, spaces, and cities worldwide in recent years. The main aims are to clarify the characteristics of PM-bound PAHs under different exposure conditions, in addition to the health effects and assessment methods of PAHs.
颗粒物 (PM) 是导致空气质量恶化的主要因素之一，它是由于各种自然和人为活动而进入大气的。在 PM 中，多环芳烃 (PAHs) 代表一类有机化学物质，至少有两个芳香环，主要是通过各种有机材料的不完全燃烧直接排放。大量的毒理学和流行病学研究已经证明，由于其致癌性和致突变性，暴露于颗粒物结合的 (PM-bound) PAHs 与人类健康之间存在不利关联。在人类暴露途径中，吸入是大气中 PM 结合的 PAHs 的主要途径。此外，PM 结合的 PAHs 在人群、微环境和区域之间的浓度不同。因此，了解大气中 PM 结合的 PAHs 的行为至关重要。然而，由于目前的技术几乎无法实时监测 PAHs，因此无法通过实时分析方法及时获得关于 PAHs 的反馈，包括其浓度和组成的特征。因此，在本综述中，我们总结了近年来全球不同参与者、空间和城市的个人暴露以及室内和室外 PM 结合的 PAH 浓度。主要目的是阐明不同暴露条件下 PM 结合的 PAHs 的特征，以及 PAHs 的健康影响和评估方法。
