[01] Bhupander Kumar, National Reference Trace Organics Laboratory, Central Pollution Control Board, East Arjun Nagar Delhi, India. [02] V. K. Verma, National Reference Trace Organics Laboratory, Central Pollution Control Board, East Arjun Nagar Delhi, India. [03] Jyoti Tyagi, Amity Institute of Environmental Science, Amity University, Noida, India. [04] C. S. Sharma, National Reference Trace Organics Laboratory, Central Pollution Control Board, East Arjun Nagar Delhi, India. [05] A. B. Akolkar, National Reference Trace Organics Laboratory, Central Pollution Control Board, East Arjun Nagar Delhi, India.

The close proximity of soils to humans can significantly influence human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and consequently may cause health risks. PAHs are released to the environment mainly from pyrogenic sources and petrogenic sources. On the basis of their toxicity, some PAHs have been classified as probable carcinogens and a few others as possible carcinogens to humans, therefore, sixteen PAH compounds have been listed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as priority pollutants. Globally, several studies have been carried out on PAHs in soils and their health implications; however, a few references on human health risk due to PAHs through soil are available for rapidly industrializing India. This study was focused on human health risk of priority sixteen PAHs in residential soils from industrial region, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. On the basis of observed lower concentrations of total sixteen PAHs than the guideline values, the estimated average daily intakes (lifetime average daily dose) of PAHs through soil were lower than the recommended index dose for humans. Consequently, the estimated cancer risk (incremental lifetime cancer risk) was within the acceptable risk distribution range (10-6 -10-4) for human adults and children. Observed PAHs concentrations were dominated by high molecular weight PAHs, and seven carcinogenic PAHs accounted for 52 % out of the ∑16 PAHs. Studied soils were classified as mild contaminated with PAHs, thus may be categorized with low health risk to humans residing in the vicinity.

Residential Soil, Priority PAHs, Daily Intake, Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk

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