Distribution, Sources, and Health Risk of Short-, Medium- and Long-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in School-Area Ambient PM1: A Study from the Pearl River Delta, China

Mo Yang; Xin-Feng Wang; Jing-Wen Huang; Nan-Xiang Jin; Chu Chu; Guo-Feng Huang; Duo-Hong Chen; Min Xie; Yu-Hong Zhai; Yu-Jun Lin; Jun Liu; Li-Zi Lin; Wen-Wen Bao; Zhao-Huan Gui; Pasi I Jalava; Guang-Hui Dong; Marjut Roponen

doi:10.3390/toxics13060467

Distribution, Sources, and Health Risk of Short-, Medium- and Long-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in School-Area Ambient PM₁: A Study from the Pearl River Delta, China

Toxics. 2025 May 31;13(6):467. doi: 10.3390/toxics13060467.

Authors

Mo Yang^{1

2}, Xin-Feng Wang³, Jing-Wen Huang², Nan-Xiang Jin⁴, Chu Chu^{1

2}, Guo-Feng Huang⁵, Duo-Hong Chen⁵, Min Xie⁵, Yu-Hong Zhai⁵, Yu-Jun Lin⁵, Jun Liu⁵, Li-Zi Lin², Wen-Wen Bao², Zhao-Huan Gui², Pasi I Jalava¹, Guang-Hui Dong^{2

6}, Marjut Roponen¹

Affiliations

¹ Inhalation Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Biological Science, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
² Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
³ Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
⁴ A.I.Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Neulaniementie 2, FI-70210 Kuopio, Finland.
⁵ Guangdong Ecological Environmental Monitoring Center, Environmental Key Laboratory of Regional Air Quality Monitoring, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangdong Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Secondary Pollution, Guangzhou 510308, China.
⁶ Joint International Research Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510080, China.

Abstract

Background: Only a few studies have reported on chlorinated paraffin (CP) levels, especially long-chain chlorinated paraffins (LCCPs), in submicron particulate matter (PM₁) in the outdoor air around primary and secondary schools.

Methods: This study examined concentrations of short-chain CPs (SCCPs), medium-chain CPs (MCCPs), and LCCPs in PM₁ samples from 96 schools across six cities in China's Pearl River Delta region during the winter (October to December 2018).

Results: The median total CP concentration was 34 ng/m³, with median values for SCCP, MCCP, and LCCP of 17.3, 15, and 0.7 ng/m³, respectively. The primary congeners were C₁₃Cl_6-8 for SCCPs, C₁₄Cl_6-9 for MCCPs, and C₁₈Cl_7-10 for LCCPs. The SCCPs and MCCPs largely originated from fugitive dust, whereas the LCCPs were mainly sourced from organic chemical industries. Air masses from the South China Sea contributed most to SCCP and MCCP levels, while those from the east coast accounted for the highest LCCP levels. The concentrations of CP in PM₁ were significantly positively correlated with PM₁ levels.

Conclusions: The exposure risk assessments by age indicated a very low current health risk from PM₁-related CP inhalation, although prolonged pollution could raise these risks as CP concentrations in ambient PM may continue to increase.

Keywords: ambient PM1; children; chlorinated paraffins; health risk; source.

Abstract

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