Human health risk assessment of PM(2.5)-bound heavy metal of anthropogenic sources in the Khon Kaen Province of Northeast Thailand

The study aimed to assess the human health risk of PM(2.5)-bound heavy metals from anthropogenic sources in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand between December 2020 and February 2021. According to the findings, the geometric mean concentration of PM(2.5) in the university area, residential area, industrial zone, and the agricultural zone was 32.78 μg/m(3), 50.25 μg/m(3), 44.48 μg/m(3), and 29.53 μg/m(3), respectively. The results showed that the estimated human health risk assessment, in terms of non-carcinogenic risks among children and adults in an urban area (residential and university), industrial zone, and the agricultural area, was of hazard index (HI) value of >1.0 indicating a greater chance of chronic effects occurring. This study showed that exposure to PM(2.5)-bound heavy metal may increase the likelihood that lasting effects will result in a very high carcinogenic risk (CR) in children in residential areas, and an industrial zone with total carcinogenic risk (TCR) values of [Formula: see text] , and [Formula: see text] , respectively while resulting in a high TCR of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] within the university areas and agricultural zone, respectively. In addition, health risk assessments among adults demonstrate high TCR values of [Formula: see text] (residential area), [Formula: see text] (industrial zone), and [Formula: see text] (agricultural zone), thus indicating a potential health risk to adults living in these areas while the university area was very low effects on carcinogenic risk ([Formula: see text]) for adults. Therefore, lowering the risk of exposure to PM(2.5) via the respiratory tract, for example, wearing a mask outside is a very effective self-defense strategy for people within and around the study site. This data study strongly supports the implementation of the air pollutant emission source reduction measures control and health surveillance.