Recycling process of decoration and demolition waste is a neglected source for emerging concerns in particulate phase: PAHs as an example

Decoration and demolition waste (DDW) has been widely studied because of its annual surge in output, complex composition, and high utilization potential. DDW recycling is a key element of circular economy, with the potential for emerging pollutants in the particulate phase. Thus, this study selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as the representative and investigated their emission characteristics and occupational risk in the particulate phase, including 2.5-μm (PM_2.5), inhalable (PM₁₀), total suspended particles (TSP), and dust samples of different sizes (75-100 μm, 50-75 μm, and < 50 μm), from dust collectors during DDW recycling. Acenaphthylene (Acy), chrysene (Chr), benz[a]anthracene (BaA), fluoranthene (Fla), pyrene (Pyr), phenanthrene (Phe) were detected in all samples. PM_2.5 and dust in 75-100 μm own the highest total occupation risk of 1.51 × 10^-13 and 2.07 × 10^-15, respectively. Chr and BaA had the control priority with the converted toxicity of 162.82 ng/g and 233.35 ng/g. Moreover, nontarget screening was applied to mining out isophorone, benzophenone, and other carcinogenic micropollutants in the PM_2.5, PM₁₀, TSP, and dust samples. Global PAHs from DDW recycling production can reach 193.44 ± 241.80 kg/a under reasonable estimation. This study provides strong evidence that DDW recycling is a neglected source of concern in the particulate phase.