Environmental health risk analysis due to PM₁₀ during 2015's smoke haze pollution in Sawahlunto City

This research was aimed to analyzed metal concentrations in particulate matter 10 (PM₁₀) sampled from ambient air in Sawahlunto City during the occurrence of smoke-haze pollution in 2015. The metal contents comprise of Al, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Cd, which represented the potential for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic illnesses. The obtained metal concentrations were further used to estimate health risk on human by using environmental health risk assessment approach. PM₁₀ samplings were done by using Minivol Air Sampler while the metal concentration analysis was conducted by atomic absorption spectrophotometer after PM₁₀ filter destruction. It was found out that during the smoke-haze pollution the PM₁₀ concentrations were above Indonesian air quality standard and considered at hazardous level in accordance to the Indonesian air quality index. The results of environmental health risk assessment for children and adults show the Hazard Quotient (HQ) value > 1 for non-carcinogenic metals (Al, Cr, Mn). As for the carcinogenic metals (Co, Ni, Cd), it was estimated that the Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) > 10-6 for both children and adults. It can be concluded that the occurrence of smoke-haze pollution in Sawahlunto City in 2015 increased the risk of cancer illnesses in both children and adults due to the high metal concentrations in PM₁₀.