Abstract
Based upon the presence in environmental samples and toxicity, USEPA has a set of chemicals generally termed as priority
pollutants. The objectives of present work were to find out particulate matter (PM10) concentrations in Faisalabad city,
identify most commonly reported 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and quantifying the DNA damage
caused by PAHs present in PM10. Four sites from the Faisalabad city; Chenab Chowk (CC), Government Transport Service
Chowk (GTSC), General Bus Stand (GBS) and Allied Chowk (AC) were selected due to high traffic loads at these points.
Average PM10 concentrations at these sites were 372, 283, 223 and150, μg and m–3
, respectively when measured with high
volume sampler and maximum concentrations were 501, 456, 625 and 271 with Casella Microdust ProTM sampler. Ten out of
16 priority PAHs were identified using GC/MS technique. These were naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene,
anthracene, benzo(e)pyrene, chrysene, flourene, fluoranthene, naphthalene, phenanthrene and pyrene with varying
concentrations. The DNA damage was detected through Comet assay. The significant DNA damage was seen in exposed
cells (22%) as compared to the control. The PM10 concentrations were higher than the EPA designated limits of 150 μg m–3
. So there is urgent need to reduce emissions to meet the set criteria for the air quality in order to minimize damage to the
environment as well as human health.
