High Concentrations of Organic Contaminants in Air from Ship Breaking Activities in Chittagong, Bangladesh

Environmental Science & Technology
Therese H NøstKnut Breivik

Abstract

The beaches on the coast of Chittagong in Bangladesh are one of the most intense ship breaking areas in the world. The aim of the study was to measure the concentrations of organic contaminants in the air in the city of Chittagong, including the surrounding ship breaking areas using passive air samplers (N = 25). The compounds detected in the highest amounts were the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), whereas dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were several orders of magnitude lower in comparison. PCBs, PAHs, and HCB were highest at sites near the ship breaking activities, whereas DDTs and SCCPs were higher in the urban areas. Ship breaking activities likely act as atmospheric emission sources of PCBs, PAHs, and HCB, thus adding to the international emphasis on responsible recycling of ships. Concentrations of PAHs, PCBs, DDTs, HCB, and SCCPs in ambient air in Chittagong are high in comparison to those found in similar studies performed in other parts of Asia. Estimated toxic equivalent quotients indicate elevated human health risks caused by inhalation of PAHs at most sites.

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Citations

Jun 1, 2016·The Science of the Total Environment·Yanjun ZhangMei Zheng
Aug 22, 2020·Environmental Science. Processes & Impacts·Frank Wania, Chubashini Shunthirasingham
Jun 23, 2019·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Iftakharul AlamHiroshi Hasegawa
Sep 28, 2018·Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·Md Habibullah-Al-MamunShigeki Masunaga
Nov 15, 2018·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Md Habibullah-Al-MamunShigeki Masunaga
Sep 15, 2018·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Suman BaruaHiroshi Hasegawa
Jul 25, 2017·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Xiuhua ZhuXiaoxiao Li
Feb 5, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Veronica van der SchyffHindrik Bouwman
May 16, 2019·Environmental Science & Technology·Golnoush AbbasiKnut Breivik

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