Lichen biomonitoring to assess spatial variability, potential sources and human health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and airborne metal concentrations in Manchester (UK)

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 196; no. 4; p. 379
• Main Authors: Niepsch, Daniel, Clarke, Leon J., Jones, Rhys G., Tzoulas, Konstantinos, Cavan, Gina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-04-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Air; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Air quality; Air quality measurements; Aromatic compounds; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biological Monitoring; Biomonitoring; Cancer; Child; City centres; Cluster analysis; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Emissions; Environment; Environmental health; Environmental Management; Environmental Monitoring; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Humans; Industrial emissions; Lichens; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals - analysis; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Neoplasms; Nervous system; Pollution index; Pollution sources; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Quality assessment; Risk Assessment; Roads; Spatial variability; Spatial variations; United Kingdom; Urban environments; Vehicle emissions; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; Biomonitor; Human health; Air quality assessment; Persistent organic pollutants; GC-APCI-MS/MS
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12522-4

Airborne metals and organic pollutants are linked to severe human health impacts, i.e. affecting the nervous system and being associated with cancer. Airborne metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban environments are derived from diverse sources, including combustion and industrial and vehicular emissions, posing a threat to air quality and subsequently human health. A lichen biomonitoring approach was used to assess spatial variability of airborne metals and PAHs, identify potential pollution sources and assess human health risks across the City of Manchester (UK). Metal concentrations recorded in lichen samples were highest within the city centre area and along the major road network, and lichen PAH profiles were dominated by 4-ring PAHs (189.82 ng g
−1
in
Xanthoria parietina
), with 5- and 6-ring PAHs also contributing to the overall PAH profile. Cluster analysis and pollution index factor (PIF) calculations for lichen-derived metal concentrations suggested deteriorated air quality being primarily linked to vehicular emissions. Comparably, PAH diagnostic ratios identified vehicular sources as a primary cause of PAH pollution across Manchester. However, local more complex sources (e.g. industrial emissions) were further identified. Human health risk assessment found a “moderate” risk for adults and children by airborne potential harmful element (PHEs) concentrations, whereas PAH exposure in Manchester is potentially linked to 1455 (ILCR = 1.45 × 10
−3
) cancer cases (in 1,000,000). Findings of this study indicate that an easy-to-use lichen biomonitoring approach can aid to identify hotspots of impaired air quality and potential human health impacts by airborne metals and PAHs across an urban environment, particularly at locations that are not continuously covered by (non-)automated air quality measurement programmes.
Graphical Abstract