Journal of

Background:In recent decades, extensive studies have shown a number of short and long-term health effects of particle matters. In addition to particle matters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH_s) and heavy metals in airborne particles due to their mutagenic and carcinogenic properties are considered major air pollutants. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of PM_2.5particulate, 7heavy metal concentrations and 13 PAH_s compound associated with fine particles (PM_2.5-boud PAHs) in the district of Sina hospital, Tehran.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in air of Sina Hospital district in Tehran. Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) were determined by gravimetric. Also heavy metal concentrations in samples after digestion were determined with ICP-AES instrument through injection. Then the PAH_s compounds from each sample were extracted by ultrasonic method. After this step, extracted sample was injected for analysis by GC-MS and concentration of each compound was read.

Results: The daily average concentration of PM_2.5 during the study was 41.19 µg/m³.Concentration values for zinc, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel and arsenic, were 92/69, 05/38, 2/18, 24/4, 19/4 and 34/1 ng/m³ respectively but mercury not found in this study. Average concentrations of PAHs compounds have been variable from0.07 ng/m³ for Chrysene to 1.21ng/m³ for Dibenzo(ah)anthracene.

Conclusion: In this study, the daily average of PM_2.5 concentrations was above the Iranian National PM, WHO (25 µg/m³) and EPA (35 µg/m³) standards established for PM_2.5 particles. Heavy metal concentrations in this study were lower than values reported in previous studies in Tehran. The highest concentrations among PAHs compounds belonging toIndeo(cd 1,2,3)pyren, Dibenzo(ah) anthracene, Benzo (B) flouranthin and Benzo (K)flouranthin that all of these compounds are related to vehicle emissions.