Perchlorate in fine particulate matter in Shenzhen, China, and implications for human inhalation exposure

The wide application of perchlorate in military and aerospace industries raises potential exposure risks for humans. Previous studies have mainly focused on perchlorate in drinking water, foodstuffs and dust, while its exposure in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has received less attention. Thus, we investigated its concentrations and temporal variability in PM2.5 from October 2020 to September 2021 in Shenzhen, southern China. We also assessed the native population’s intake and uptake of perchlorate in PM2.5 via inhalation. Measured PM2.5 concentrations in samples from Shenzhen ranged from 2.0 to 91.9 μg m−3. According to air quality guidelines proposed by the World Health Organization, 12.7% of all the samples exceeded interim target 1 (> 35 μg m−3), and only 37.3% met interim target 3 (< 15 μg m−3). Logistic regression analysis showed that perchlorate concentrations positively correlated with the PM2.5 concentrations and negatively correlated with precipitation. The median estimated daily intake (EDI) was highest for infants (0.029 ng kg−1 day−1), and both EDIs and estimated daily uptakes (EDUs) gradually decreased with age. All the EDIs and EDUs were below the reference dose provided by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS), indicating that exposure to perchlorate in PM2.5 posed negligible health risks for Shenzhen residents. However, the exposure of infants and specific groups who tend to be more highly exposed than average still warrants attention.