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Characteristics, profile composition, ecological and human health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface dust collected from Shenyang city, China, were investigated. Concentrations of 16 USEPA priority PAHs ranged between 371.57 and 3300.04 μg/kg (mean 1244.76 ± 715.25 μg/kg). Fluoranthene was the most abundant individual PAHs, followed by pyrene, and high molecular weight PAHs, more than three times of low molecular weight PAHs, were the predominant components. Profiles of PAHs showed that 4-ring PAHs were dominant, followed by 3-ring and 5-ring PAHs, and indicated that combustion sources accounted for the most PAHs. Results of diagnostic ratios and positive matrix factorization all suggested that pyrogenic sources were the most important source of PAHs in urban dust, followed by natural gas combustion and petrogenic sources, and traffic emissions would play an increasingly critical role with the increasing of vehicles. Health risk assessment suggested children were the most vulnerable to PAHs compared to adolescents and adults. Ingestion was the most important exposure pathway. The total lifetime cancer risk of 43.33% of sampling sites was higher than 10–6, but the TLCR at all sites was much lower than the highest acceptable risk established by USEPA (10–4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface dust samples were collected in 2018 at 30 different sites in Shenyang City, China. Concentrations of chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), cupper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) were determined, and chemical speciation of metals were analyzed. Mean metal concentrations followed the order Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > As > Cd > Hg. Although concentrations of metals in dust samples were lower than previously reported, a measurable metal pollution signature in dust still exists. Metals (except for As), are influenced by anthropogenic activities. Spatial variation in mean metal dust concentrations and speciation varied significantly and were influenced by land-use and industrial activities. Source appointment Results revealed that pollution of surface dust was derived from three main source profiles (industrial and traffic pollution, coal combustion, and urban pollution), contributing to 90.7% of the variance. Health risk assessment indicated that risks were low, but children were susceptible to metals in surface dust. Results indicated oral ingestion was the dominant exposure pathway. Non-carcinogenic Cr and Pb and carcinogenic As were the main metal contaminants in surface dust. • Surface dust samples were collected from 30 sites in Shenyang City, China. • Dust samples were analyzed for Cr, As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Hg and Cd metals. • Metal pollution signatures were evident in dust samples of Shenyang City. • Cr, Pb and As were the dominant metal contaminants in surface dust. • Metals in surface dust were influenced by land-use and industrial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]