Department of Geophysics, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece.
Department of Geophysics, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece.
Environ Pollut. 2021 Dec 1;290:118122. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118122. Epub 2021 Sep 5.
Children in urban environments are exposed to potential harmful elements (PHEs) through variable exposure media. Playing activities in outdoor playgrounds have been considered of high concern due to children's exposure to sand-bound PHEs through unintentional or intentional sand ingestion. Furthermore, the affinity of magnetic particles with dust-bound PHEs in playgrounds has been reported. In this study, playground sands (PG sands) from public playgrounds in the city of Thessaloniki, N. Greece were sampled and the levels, the contamination degree, oral bioaccessibility and exposure assessment of PHEs were evaluated. In addition, low-cost and fast magnetic measurements (i.e. mass specific magnetic susceptibility, χ) were explored as potential pollution and health risk proxies. Mineralogically, siliceous PG sands dominated, while morphologically angular magnetic particles and Fe-rich "spherules" of anthropogenic origin were revealed and verified by enhanced χ values. The average total elemental contents exhibited a descending order of Mn > Ba > Cr > Zn > Ni > Pb > Cu > Co > As > Sn > Bi > Cd, however only Cd, Bi, Pb, Cr, As and Zn were presented anthropogenically enhanced. Notable increase on PHEs levels and finer sand fractions were observed with continuous sand use. Anthropogenically derived elements (i.e. Cd and Pb with high I values) exhibited higher bioaccessible fractions in PG sands and considered easily soluble in gastric fluids through ingestion. However, increased risks were found for specific PHEs (especially Pb) only in a worst case exposure scenario of an intentional sand ingestion (pica disorder). Statistical analysis results revealed a linkage of anthropogenic components with sand-bound magnetic particles. Moreover, the recorded high affinity of Pb contents (in an enhanced magnetized sub-set of PG sands) and bioaccessible Cd fractions with χ provide a preliminary indication on the successful applicability of low-cost and fast magnetic measurements in high impacted playground environments.
城市环境中的儿童会通过各种暴露介质接触到潜在有害元素（PHEs）。由于儿童在户外游乐场玩耍时会无意间或有意地吞食沙子，因此他们接触到的与沙子结合的 PHEs 受到了高度关注。此外，据报道，在游乐场中，磁性颗粒与尘土结合的 PHEs 具有亲和力。在这项研究中，从希腊北部塞萨洛尼基市的公共游乐场采集了游乐场沙（PG 沙），并评估了 PHEs 的水平、污染程度、口服生物可及性和暴露评估。此外，还探索了低成本和快速的磁性测量（即质量比磁化率χ）作为潜在的污染和健康风险指标。矿物学上，以硅质 PG 沙为主，而形态上呈角状的磁性颗粒和富铁的“球体”则具有人为来源，并通过增强的χ值得到证实。平均总元素含量的顺序为 Mn>Ba>Cr>Zn>Ni>Pb>Cu>Co>As>Sn>Bi>Cd，但只有 Cd、Bi、Pb、Cr、As 和 Zn 呈现人为增强。随着沙子的持续使用，PHEs 水平和更细的沙粒分数显著增加。人为衍生元素（即具有高 I 值的 Cd 和 Pb）在 PG 沙中表现出更高的可生物利用分数，并且通过吞食被认为容易溶解于胃液中。然而，只有在故意吞食沙子（异食癖）的最坏情况下暴露，才会发现特定 PHEs（尤其是 Pb）的风险增加。统计分析结果表明，人为成分与与沙子结合的磁性颗粒之间存在联系。此外，记录到 Pb 含量（在增强磁化的 PG 沙亚集中）与可生物利用的 Cd 分数与 χ 之间具有很高的亲和力，这初步表明低成本和快速磁性测量在高影响游乐场环境中的成功适用性。
