Levels, potential sources and risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides in atmospheric particulate matter at regional background site

Abstract

Forty-eight PM2.5 samples were collected from June to August 2015 at the summit of Mount Tai. The samples were analyzed to determine the concentrations, potential sources and health risk of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Total OCPs concentration in PM2.5 ranged from 20.5 to 331 pg m–3. Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs) were the most abundant compounds. The sources of OCPs used potential source contribution function (PSCF), back trajectory analysis and principal component analysis suggested that the southwest agricultural areas and southeast regions of Mount Tai were the significant contributions regions of OCPs. Both old residual and new input were considered to the contribution of OCPs contamination. Human health risk assessment was carried out by non-carcinogenic health hazard quotient (HQ). The HQ values through inhalation and dermal contact ranged from 9.28 × 10–12 to 6.56 × 10–3, indicating a negligible risk of the study area.