# Risk Elements in Total Suspended Particles in Areas Affected by Opencast Mining of Brown Coal  
[PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (V.L. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (F.B. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (P.T.) [PERSON]  
2 Health Institute in Ustí nad Labem, 40001 Ustí nad Labem, Czech Republic; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.R. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (I.B)  
[PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (V.L. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (F.B. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (P.T.) [PERSON]  
2 Health Institute in Ustí nad Labem, 40001 Ustí nad Labem, Czech Republic; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.R. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (I.B)  
[PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (V.L. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (F.B. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (P.T.) [PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (V.L. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (F.B. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (P.T.) Footnote  
of PM exposure and concluded that the occurrence of congenital heart defects, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, and oxidative stress were related to PM exposure. Moreover, various factors such as the age of the exposed individuals, their health status (such as preexisting cardiovascular or respiratory diseases), and low socioeconomic status can aggravate the potential health risks posed by PM exposure [10]. The potential health risks of PM depend on particle size, with the inhalable fractions considered the most hazardous. Therefore, particles smaller than 10 \(\upmu\)m, labeled PM\({}_{10}\), are easily inhaled and are predominantly studied and assessed in environmental, toxicological, and epidemiological studies [1, 7, 11, 12]. However, PM is categorized by the USEPA into two main groups according to size: PM\({}_{10}\) and PM\({}_{2.5}\), with the latter including all particles smaller than 2.5 \(\upmu\)m (fine particles). Thus, the potential adverse health effects of exposure to PM\({}_{2.5}\) also require comprehensive assessment [13]. Moreover, ultrafine particles smaller than 0.1 \(\upmu\)m and so-called total suspended particles (TSPs) smaller than 40-50 \(\upmu\)m are also monitored, although less frequently [14]. PM is composed of various inorganic and organic materials, including carbonized organic matter, metals, non-metals, semi-volatile species, mineral particles, biological materials such as plant debris (e.g., plant trichomes or pollen), and animal fragments (e.g., insect body parts) [12, 14]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [15] investigated the morphology of PM\({}_{2.5}\) particles comprehensively, observing spherical, irregular, angular, clustered, flaky, rod-like, crystalline, and agglomerate structures. The presence of bioaerosols containing bacteria and fungi as components of PM was confirmed by [PERSON] et al. [16]. These organisms can have additional adverse effects on human health, especially in the case of fine particles (PM\({}_{2.5}\)). The toxicity of PM is not attributed solely to the particles themselves but also to the adsorption of various associated organic and inorganic pollutants. Among these, risk elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are regarded as the most significant pollutants in this context [12]. The risk element contents associated with PM have already been determined in various polluted areas. For instance, [PERSON] et al. [17] identified As and Cr as the main contributors to the cancer risk in PM\({}_{2.5}\) exposure. The PM samples originated from Sha-Lu, Taichung, Taiwan, a highly industrialized area. A coal-fired power plant was identified as the main contributor to As and Cr emissions in this case. Other potential toxic constituents included inorganic compounds like nitrates and sulfates [18].