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De Donno A, De Giorgi M, Bagordo F, Grassi T, Idolo A, Serio F, Ceretti E, Feretti D, Villarini M, Moretti M, Carducci A, Verani M, Bonetta S, Pignata C, Bonizzoni S, Bonetti A, Gelatti U. Health Risk Associated with Exposure to PM 10 and Benzene in Three Italian Towns. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018; 15:E1672. [PMID: 30082675 PMCID: PMC6121301 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15081672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Air pollution in urban areas is a major concern as it negatively affects the health of a large number of people. The purpose of this study was to assess the inhalation health risk for exposure to PM10 and benzene of the populations living in three Italian cities. Data regarding PM10 and benzene daily measured by "traffic" stations and "background" stations in Torino, Perugia, and Lecce during 2014 and 2015 were compared to the limits indicated in the Directive 2008/50/EC. In addition, an inhalation risk analysis for exposure to benzene was performed for adults and children by applying the standard United States Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) methodology. The levels of PM10 detected in Torino exceeded the legal limits in both years with an increased mean concentration >10 µg/m³ comparing with background station. Benzene concentrations never exceeded the legislative target value. The increased cancer risk (ICR) for children exposed to benzene was greater than 1 × 10-6 only in the city of Torino, while for adults, the ICR was higher than 1 × 10-6 in all the cities. The results suggest the need for emission reduction policies to preserve human health from continuous and long exposure to air pollutants. A revision of legal limits would also be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella De Donno
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Mattia De Giorgi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Francesco Bagordo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Tiziana Grassi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Adele Idolo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Francesca Serio
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Ceretti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Donatella Feretti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Milena Villarini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06122 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Massimo Moretti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06122 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Annalaura Carducci
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via S. Zeno 35/39, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Marco Verani
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via S. Zeno 35/39, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Silvia Bonetta
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Piazza Polonia 94, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Cristina Pignata
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Piazza Polonia 94, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | | | - Alberto Bonetti
- Centro Servizi Multisettoriale e Tecnologico⁻CSMT Gestione Scarl., via Branze 45, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Umberto Gelatti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
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