Characteristics of PM2.5-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Nitro-Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons at A Roadside Air Pollution Monitoring Station in Kanazawa, Japan

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jan 28;17(3):805. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030805.

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) in PM2.5 samples were collected at a roadside monitoring station in Kanazawa, Japan, in every season from 2017 to 2018. Nine PAHs and five NPAHs were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and chemiluminescence detection, respectively. The mean concentrations of PAHs and NPAHs were highest in winter and lowest in summer. Fluoranthene and pyrene were the dominant PAHs and 1-nitropyrene was the dominant NPAH in all seasons, and these compounds were mainly emitted by diesel vehicles. The concentration ratio of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) to benzo(ghi)perylene (BgPe) ((BaP)/(BgPe)) and of indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (IDP) to the sum of IDP and benzo(ghi)perylene (BgPe) ((IDP)/((IDP)+(BgPe0) might still be useful indicators for identifying traffic emission sources today. Moreover, our results showed that the carcinogenic risk in all seasons was below the acceptable limit set by the WHO.

Keywords: diagnostic ratios; nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; roadside sampling; traffic emission.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Air Pollution
  • Environmental Monitoring*
  • Japan
  • Particulate Matter / analysis*
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
  • Seasons

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Particulate Matter
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons