Elemental composition and risk assessment of heavy metals in the PM10 fractions of road dust and roadside soil

Abstract A total of 64 dust samples were analyzed to determine the size distribution and elemental composition of the PM 10 fraction, including 42 road dust (RD), 12 roadside soil (RSD), and 10 park road dust (PRD) samples. The mass of dust smaller than 20 μm was dominated by particles sized 2.5–16 μm, which accounted for 85%, 88%, and 87% of the RD, PRD, and RSD, respectively. Additionally, crustal elements accounted for 30.14%, 36.35%, and 37.14% of the PM 10 fractions of the RD, RSD, and PRD, respectively. The most abundant trace elements in RD, RSD, and PRD were Zn, Mn, and Cu (range, 277 to 874 mg/kg). Moreover, the I geo values revealed all dusts were contaminated with Pb, Zn, Cu, Sb, Sn, and Cd. Health risk assessment showed that Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Sb, and Pb in the PM 10 fraction of three types of dusts posed non-cancer risks to children but posed no non-cancer risk to adults. Additionally, As, Ni, and Cd posed no cancer risk to inhabitants.