Formaldehyde (FA) and acetaldehyde (AA) are two aldehydes commonly found in the atmosphere and are considered to be primary and/or secondary pollutants. This study aimed to determine the levels of FA and AA in the ambient air of five Gas Stations (GS) located in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The study used three passive samplers exposed simultaneously for 8 hours and analyzed the samples using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). The results showed that the concentration ranges found were 3.31 – 5.78 μg m-3 for FA and 10.5 – 28.2 μg m-3 for AA. These levels were lower than the exposure limits recommended by national and international agencies for occupational environments. However, the FA concentrations exceeded the more stringent limit (3.30 μg m-3) set by the Texas Environmental Quality Commission – TCEQ for long-term outdoor exposure. Moreover, the study also found that the lifetime cancer risks (LCR) linked to GS employees’ exposure to these aldehydes over a 30-year period ranged from 2.46×10-6 – 6.60×10-6 for AA and 4.51×10-6 – 8.00×10-6 for FA. These results highlight the need for occupational exposure limits, particularly for FA which is linked to nasopharyngeal cancer, as the levels of FA exceed the tolerable limit established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (1.0×10-6).
Author(s) Details:
Lícia Passos dos Santos Cruz,
Federal University of Bahia – UFBA, Chemistry Institute, 40170-115, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Sâmeque Reis Luz,
Federal University of Bahia – UFBA, Chemistry Institute, 40170-115, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Vânia Palmeira Campos,
Federal University of Bahia – UFBA, Chemistry Institute, 40170-115, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Franciele Oliveira Campos da Rocha,
Chemistry Department, Science and Technology Center, Federal University of Roraima, 69310-000, Boa Vista, RR, Brazil.
Raiane dos Santos Alves,
Federal University of Bahia – UFBA, Chemistry Institute, 40170-115, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
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