Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 particle fractions in an urban area

  • Published:
Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Inhalation of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) bound to particulate matter can have adverse effects on human health. Particle size plays an important role in assessing health risks. The aim of this study was to compare concentrations of PAHs in different particle fractions. Measurements of PAHs were carried out in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia (~ 790,000 inhabitants). The measuring station was located in the northern, residential part of Zagreb, close to a street with modest traffic density. Twenty-four-hour samples of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 particle fraction were collected on quartz filters using a low-volume sampler from about 50 m3 of air. Three fractions were collected from January to December 2013. The analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detector and time-programmed changes in excitation and emission. Comparison of PAH content in PM10 and PM2.5 particle fractions revealed that more than 80% of PAHs measured in winter were bound to the smaller particle fraction (PM2.5), except for Chry, IP and DahA. In summer, more than 60% of measured PAHs were bound to PM2.5 particles, except for DahA, while in spring, more than 50% of measured PAHs were bound to PM2.5 particles, except for Flu, BaP and BbF. Furthermore, comparing PAH content in PM1 and PM2.5 fractions, we found that most PAHs were bound to particle fraction PM1, and the percentage of PAHs in PM1 was the highest in winter (more than 90%). Factor analysis showed that most of the PAHs bound to PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 probably had identical sources in winter, spring and summer (house heating and traffic), and the only significant difference in origin was found in autumn for PAHs bound to PM2.5 and PM1 fractions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel-Shafy HI, Mansour MSM (2016) A review on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: source, environmental impact, effect on human health and remediation. Egypt J Pet 25:107–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Agudelo-Castañeda DM, Teixeira EC (2014) Seasonal changes, identification and source apportionment of PAH in PM10. Atmos Environ 96:186–200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Agudelo-Castañeda DM, Teixeira EC, Schneider IL, Lara SR, Silva LFO (2017) Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric PM 1.0 of urban environments: carcinogenic and mutagenic respiratory health risk by age groups. Environ Pollut 224:158–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Akyüz M, Ҁabuk H (2008) Particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the atmospheric environment of Zonguldak, Turkey. Sci Total Environ 405:62–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amarillo AC, Busso IT, Carreras H (2014) Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban environments: health risk assessment by age groups. Environ Pollut 195:157–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andreou G, Rapsomanikis S (2009) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives in the urban atmosphere of Athens. J Hazard Mater 172:363–373

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) (1995) Toxicological profile for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Atlanta. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp69.html. Accessed 26 Nov 2017

  • Bari MA, Baumbach G, Kuch B (2010) Particle-phase concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air of rural residential areas in southern Germany. Air Qual Atmos Health 3:103–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bond TC (2004) A technology-based global inventory of black and organic carbon emissions from combustion. J Geophys Res 109:1–43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Čačković M, Šega K, Vađić V, Bešlić I (2008) Characterisation of major acidic anions in TSO and PM10 in Zagreb air. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 80:112–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Callén MS, López JM, Mastral AM (2010) Seasonal variation of benzo(a)pyrene in the Spanish airborne PM10. Multivariate linear regression model applied to estimate BaP concentrations. J Hazard Mater 180(1–3):648–655

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dachs J, Glenn TR IV, Gigliotti CL, Brunciak P, Totten LA, Nelson ED, Franz TP, Eisenreich SJ (2002) Processes driving the short-term variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Baltimore and northern Chesapeake Bay atmosphere, USA. Atmos Environ 36:2281–2295

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeMarini D, Brooks L, Warren S, Kobayashi T, Gilmour T, Singh P (2004) Bioassay-directed fractionation and salmonella mutagenicity of automobile and forklift diesel exhaust particles. Environ Health Perspect 112:814–819

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galarneau E (2008) Source specificity and atmospheric processing of airborne PAHs: implications for source apportionment. Atmos Environ 42:8139–8149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gigliotti CI, Dachs J, Neison ED, Brunciak PA, Eisenreich SJ (2000) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the New Jersey coastal atmosphere. Environ Sci Technol 34:3547–3554

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanedar A, Alp K, Kaynak B, Avşar E (2014) Toxicity evaluation and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at three stations in Istanbul, Turkey. Sci Total Environ 488-489:437–446

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herlekar M, Joseph AE, Kumar R, Gupta I (2012) Chemical speciation and source assignment of particulate (PM10) phase molecular markers in Mumbai. Aerosol Air Qual Res 12:1247–1260

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) (2010) Some non-heterocyclic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and some related exposures. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risk Hum 92 (IARC, Lyin)

  • IPCS (2000) Environmental health criteria 202. WHO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakovljević I, Pehnec G, Vadjić V, Šišović A, Davila S, Bešlić I (2015) Carcinogenic activity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons bounded on particle fraction. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:15931–15940

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan MF, Hwa SW, Hou LC, Mustaffa NIH, Amil N, Mohamad N, Sahani M, Jaafar SA, Nadzir MSM, Latif MT (2017) Influence of inorganic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the sources of PM2.5 in the Southeast Asian urban sites. Air Qual Atmos Health 10(8):999–1013

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee B-K (2010) Sources, distribution and toxicity of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particulate matter. In: Villanyi V (ed) Air pollution. in Tech. ISBN:978-953-307-143-5. Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/air-poččution/sources-distribution-and-toxicity-of-polyaromatic-hydrocarbons-pahs-in-particulate-matter. Accessed 9 Oct 2017

  • Manoli E, Voutsa D, Samara C (2002) Chemical characterization and source identification/apportionment of fine and coarse air particles in Thessaloniki, Greece. Atmos Environ 36:949–961

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Masiol M, Hofer A, Squizzato S, Piazza R, Rampazzo G, Pavoni B (2012) Carcinogenic and mutagenic risk associated to airborne particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: a source apportionment. Atmos Environ 60:375–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Masiol M, Formenton G, Pasqualetto A, Pavoni B (2013) Seasonal trends and spatial variations of PM10-bounded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Veneto Region, Northeast Italy. Atmos Environ 79:811–821

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morawska L, Moore M, Ristovski Z (2004) Health impact of ultrafine particles, desktop literature review and analysis. Australian Government, Department of the Environmental Heritage

  • Morawska L, Ristovski Z, Jayaratne E, Keogh D, Ling X (2008) Ambient nano and ultrafine particles from motor vehicle emissions: characteristics, ambient processing and implications on human exposure. Atmos Environ 42:8113–8138

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pehnec G, Jakovljević I, Šišović A, Bešlić I, Vađić V (2016) Influence of ozone and meteorological parameters on levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the air. Atmos Environ 131:263–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phoothiwut S, Junyapoon S (2013) Size distribution of atmospheric particulates and particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and characteristics of PAHs during haze period in Lampang Province, Northern Thailand. Air Qual Atmos Health 6:397–405

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pooltawee J, Pimpunchat B, Junyapoon S (2017) Size distribution, characterization and risk assessment of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during haze periods in Phayao Province, northern Thailand. Air Qual Atmos Health 10(9):1097–1112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ravindra K, Sokhi R, Grieken RV (2008) Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: source attribution, emission factors and regulation. Atmos Environ 42:2895–2921

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rogula-Kozłowska W, Kozielska B, Klejnowski K, Szopa S (2013) Hazardous compounds in urban PM in the central part of Upper Silesia (Poland) in winter. Arch Environ Prot 39:53–65

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh DP, Gadi R, Mandal TK (2011) Characterization of particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace metals composition of urban air in Delhi, India. Atmos Environ 45:7653–7663

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Šišović A, Vadjić Z, Šega K, Bešlić I, Vadjić V (2005) Comparison between PAH mass concentrations measured in PM10 and PM2.5 particle fraction. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 75:121–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Šišović A, Bešlić I, Šega K, Vađić V (2008) PAH mass concentrations measured in PM10 particle fraction. Environ Int 34:580–584

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Šišović A, Pehnec G, Jakovljević I, Šilović Hujić M, Vađić V, Bešlić I (2012) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at different crossroads in Zagreb, Croatia. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88:438–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KR (1987) Biofuels, air pollution, and health—a global review. Plenum Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Teixeira EC, Agudelo-Castañeda DM, Fachel JMG, Leal KA, Garcia KO, Wiegand F (2012) Source identification and seasonal variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with atmospheric fine and coarse particles in the Metropolitan Area of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Atmos Res 118:390–403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Venkataraman C, Lyons JM, Friedlander SK (1994) Size distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and elemental carbon: 1. Sampling measurement methods, and source characterization. Environ Sci Technol 28:555–562

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wenger D, Gerecke AC, Heeb NV, Hueglin C, Seiler C, Haag R, Naegeli H, Zenobi R (2009) Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated activity of atmospheric particulate matter from an urban and a rural in Switzerland. Atmos Environ 34:3556–3562

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wickramasinghe AP, Karunaratne DGGP, Sivakanesan R (2011) PM10-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: concentrations, source characterization and estimating their risk in urban, suburban and rural areas in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Atmos Environ 45:2642–2650

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiriya W, Prapamontol T, Chantara S (2013) PM10-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Chiang Mai (Thailand): Seasonal variations, source identification, health risk assessment and their relationship to air-mass movement. Atmos Res 124:109–122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c. 2, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Ivana Jakovljević, Gordana Pehnec, Vladimira Vađić & Mirjana Čačković

  2. Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Vesna Tomašić

  3. University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia

    Jagoda Doko Jelinić

Authors
  1. Ivana Jakovljević
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gordana Pehnec
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vladimira Vađić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mirjana Čačković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Vesna Tomašić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jagoda Doko Jelinić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ivana Jakovljević.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jakovljević, I., Pehnec, G., Vađić, V. et al. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 particle fractions in an urban area. Air Qual Atmos Health 11, 843–854 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-018-0603-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-018-0603-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation