Evaluation of PAH diagnostic ratios as source apportionment tools for air particulates collected in an urban-industrial environment

Abstract

A variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) diagnostic ratios were examined as source apportionment tools in the analysis of a PAH data set associated with atmospheric particulate matter collected in an urban-industrial environment. Seventy-six PM(10) samples were collected concurrently at 4 sampling sites over a one-month period in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a city of 500 000 people that is home to two integrated steel companies, associated industries and a network of roadways and major highways. Samples collected under well defined meteorological conditions were categorized as being 'upwind' or 'downwind' of the industrial sector. All sample extracts were analyzed for 48 parent PAH, methylphenanthrenes and sulfur-containing aromatics and showed a thousand-fold range of total PAH concentrations (0.23-172 ng m(-3)). Of all PAH diagnostic ratios examined, the two most useful were the anthracene/(anthracene+phenanthrene) and benz[a]anthracene/(benz[a]anthracene+chrysene/triphenylene) ratios. These afforded the best discrimination of samples that had significant industrial impacts. This work is the first example of the use of a linear combination of PAH ratios, coupled with total PAH data and well defined local samples to determine the relative impacts of mobile and industrial emissions in an urban-industrial environment. Use of a linear combination of PAH ratios allowed us to categorize 95% of the data as 'upwind' or 'downwind' of the industrial sector. It is important to determine PAH ratio threshold values based on data from well defined local samples rather than relying on literature values alone.

Polystyrene Plastic: A Source and Sink for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Marine Environment

“…27-29 The combination of five molecular ratios containing fluorene (FLO), pyrene (PYR), anthracene (ANT), phenanthrene (PHE), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), chrysene (CHR), benz[a]anthracene (BaA), Triphenylene (TRI), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) and benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF) were used to generate bi-variate plots (Figure 5). 30-33 Two-sample student t -tests run in SigmaPlot 10 (SYSTAT Software, Chicago, IL) determined if concentrations of PAHs and molecular ratios were statistically different between locations. Concentrations of total sorbed PPAHs were log-transformed to achieve normality.…”

Airborne Dioxins, Furans, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Exposure to Military Personnel in Iraq

“…There are limitations and weakness in using DRs for source identification. 52,53,54,55,56 The problems are linked to the differing chemical-physical properties of congeners, which may drive the environmental fate of these compounds after emission into the atmosphere. In fact, ambient temperature affects the different partitioning of congeners between gaseous- and condensed-phases and atmospheric oxidants (radicals, ozone, nitrogen dioxide) may deplete the most reactive congeners.…”

Fine and Ultrafine Particles in the Vicinity of Industrial Activities: A Review

“…Diagnostic ratios of various PAHs have also been used to determine the source of particlecontaining PAHs (Sofowote, Allan et al 2010). As shown in Table 5, most of these ratios can help to determine the different fuel types used during the combustion process, and thus are able to distinguish gasoline, diesel or coal combustion.…”