PM_2.5‐Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Nitrated PAHs (NPAHs) and Oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs) in Typical Traffic‐Related Receptor Environments

Abstract

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 , aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm) has attracted worldwide attention in recent years due to its adverse effect on ambient air quality and public health (Chen et al., 2019;Cohen et al., 2017;van Donkelaar et al., 2015). Owning to their small particle size and large surface area, PM 2.5 can act as carriers for many chemical substances and reach bronchus, alveolar spaces, and even blood, which can seriously harm human health (Kroll et al., 2013;Poschl, 2005;Shou et al., 2019). A multitude of epidemiologic studies has suggested a prominent role of organic components in PM 2.5 -related toxicity (Kioumourtzoglou et al., 2013;Peng et al., 2009). Amongst polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous, which cause considerable concerns due to Abstract PM 2.5 -bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitrated PAHs (NPAHs) and oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs) around roadside, port and airport areas were investigated to evaluate the impacts of vehicle, ship and aviation emissions on PAHs and their derivatives in relevant receptor environments. The PAHs concentrations in fuels increased in the following order: jet fuel < heavy fuel oil for vessel < automobile diesel fuel. However, the average mass ratio concentrations of PM 2.5 -bound PAHs in roadside, port and airport areas were 42.9, 158.7 and 260.4 μg/g, respectively. The low PAHs concentrations in fuel were relevant to the high PAHs emissions. The composition of the molecular species showed that 5-and 6-rings PAHs were dominated in roadside area, while 3-and 4-rings PAHs were major proportions in port and airport areas. The average mass ratio concentrations of PM 2.5 -bound NPAHs and OPAHs concentrations in roadside, port and airport areas were 23.5 and 115.2, 4.8 and 39.9, and 26.4 and 284.2 μg/g, respectively. The different variation tendencies between PAHs and their derivates, dominant individual NPAHs, diagnostic ratios of NPAH isomers and principal component analysis revealed that primary emission was the major contributor to NPAHs and OPAHs in three receptor environments, and secondary formation played non-negligible roles in NPAHs formation in roadside and airport areas. In addition, 9-nitroanthracene (9-NAnt) and anthraquinone (ATQ) were found to be the indicatory compounds for traffic emission. Taken together, these results may provide a basic information for assessing the impact of traffic emission sources on PAC emissions to the related receptor environment.

Development of Quantitative Chemical Ionization Using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Ambient Nitro- and Oxy-PAHs and Its Applications

“…9-NANT was the main congener detected in the samples from both Seoul and Ulaanbaatar. It has been reported that 9-NANT is emitted from direct sources, predominantly diesel engines, and is also formed in the atmosphere as a result of secondary reactions [ 43 , 44 ]. Ulaanbaatar generally uses biomass fuel and coal fuel (lignite) for household cooking and heating It is an urban area with high levels of PM and PAH pollution because of the use of solid fuels [ 45 ].…”

“…In Ulaanbaatar, the concentration of PAHs is high, and this causes high concentrations of NPAHs and OPAHs because of secondary formations. Additionally, the main causes for the primary emissions of NPAHs in urban regions are diesel engine vehicles and incomplete combustion by residential heating [ 44 ]. As biomass combustion is the main source of OPAHs [ 46 ], biomass and heating fuel-use in Ulaanbaatar could contribute to high NPAH and OPAH concentrations.…”

Real‐World Vehicular Source Indicators for Exhaust and Non‐Exhaust Contribution to PM2.5 During Peak and Off‐Peak Hours Using Tunnel Measurement

“…The number of rings of PAHs were showed in Table S2 in Supporting Information S3. Before analysis, three pretreatment processes were applied following our previous work (Fang et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2022), as described in the Text S3 in Supporting Information S1.…”

Summertime Characteristics of Atmospheric Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Coastal City of Northern Poland

“…For example, the relatively high contribution of both 3-and 4-ring hydrocarbons in the particulate phase (>70%) was observed on 25 May (VD = SE, WS = 2.6 m s −1 ), 16 June (VD = SE, WS = 3.6 m s −1 ), 17 June (VD = SE, WS = 3.4 m s −1 ), 13 July (VD = SE, WS = 1.8 m s −1 ), 14 July (VD = SE, WS = 1.9 m s −1 ), 15 July (VD = SE, WS = 2.6 m s −1 ), and 16 July (VD = SE, WS = 2.4 m s −1 ), indicating that in particular low-and medium-molecular-weight organic compounds could be partly attributed to emission from local shipping activities. Recent studies on coastal PM chemical composition in some regions of Asia [32] and Europe [33] also demonstrated that particles of various size modes can be considerably influenced by anthropogenic emissions from sources such as shipping activities.…”