Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Particulate Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in the Atmosphere of Bizerte City, Tunisia

  • Published:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The particle-phase concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined in 13 air samples collected in an urban area of Bizerte (Tunisia) during 2009–2010. Atmospheric particulate samples were extracted by ultrasonic bath and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. PAH were found in all the analyzed air samples and the most abundant compounds were pyrene, fluoranthene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene. ∑14-PAH concentrations ranging from 9.38 to 44.81 ng m−3 with mean value of 25.39 ng m−3. PAH diagnostic ratio source analysis revealed gasoline and diesel vehicular emissions as major sources. The mean total benzo[a]pyrene toxicity equivalent calculated for samples was 3.66 ng m−3 and the mean contribution of the carcinogenic potency of benzo[a]pyrene was determined to be 55.8 %. Concentrations of particulate PAH in Bizerte city atmosphere were approximately eight times greater than sampled at a nearby rural site.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2009) Case studies in environmental medicine toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/pah/docs/pah.pdf. Accessed 31 March 2014

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barhoumi B, LeMenach K, Devier M-H, Ben Ameur W, Etcheber H, Budzinski H, Cachot J, Driss MR (2014) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments from the Bizerte Lagoon, Tunisia: levels, sources, and toxicological significance. Environ Monit Assess 186:2653–2669. doi:10.1007/s10661-013-3569-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ben Ameur W, Trabelsi S, Driss MR (2010) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in superficial sediments from Ghar El Melh Lagoon, Tunisia. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86:539–544. doi:10.1007/s00128-010-0044-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boström CE, Grede P, Hanberg A, Jenström B, Johansson C, Kyrklund T et al (2002) Cancer risk assessment, indicators, and guidelines for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the ambient air. Environ Health Perspect 110:451–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colombini MP, Fuoco R, Giannarelli S, Termine M, Abete C, Vincentini M, Berti S (1998) Particulate samples by HPLC with fluorescence detection: a field application. Microchem J 59:228–238

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Da Limu Y, Ta LiFu D, Yi Miti A, Wang X, Ding X (2012) Autumn and wintertime polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 from Urumqi China. Aerosol Air Quality Res 13:407–414. doi:10.4209/aaqr.2012.05.0130

    Google Scholar 

  • Dallarosa JB, Mônego JG, Teixeira EC, Stefens JL, Wiegand F (2005) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric particles in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Atmos Environ 39:1609–1625

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De La Torre-Roche RJ, Lee W-Y, Campos-Díaz SI (2009) Soil-borne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in El Paso, Texas: analysis of a potential problem in the United States/Mexico border region. J Hazard Mater 163:946–958

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Martinis BS, Okamoto RA, Kado NY, Gondel LA, Carvalho LRF (2002) Polycyclic aromatoic hydrocarbons in a bioassay-fractionated extract of PM10 collected in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Atmos Environ 36:307–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dridi S, Driss MR, Sabbah S, Bouguerra ML (1998) Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in airborne diesel exhaust particulates by HPLC with UV detection and wavelength programming. J Liq Chrom Rel Technol 21:475–489

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Durant JL, Lafleur AL, Busby WF, Donhoffner LL, Penman BW, Crespi CL (1999) Mutagenicity of C24H14 PAH in human cells expressing CYP1A1. Mutat Res 446:1–14

    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 

  • Harrison RM, Smith DJT, Luhana LM (1996) Source apportionment of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons collected from an urban location in Birmingham, UK. Environ Sci Technol 30:825–832

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (2010) Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risk to human: air pollution, Part 1. In: Some non-heterocyclic PAHs and related industrial exposures, vol 92. http://monographs.iarc.fr/. Accessed 4 April 2014

  • Katsoyiannis A, Sweetman AJ, Jones KC (2011) PAH molecular diagnostic ratios applied to atmospheric sources: a critical evaluation using two Decades of source Inventory and air concentration data from the UK. Environ Sci Technol. doi:10.1021/es202277u

    Google Scholar 

  • Künzli N, Kaiser R, Medina S, Studnicka M, Chapel O, Filliger P, Herry M, Horak F, Puybonnieux-Texier V, Quenel P, Schneider J, Seethaler R, Vergnaud JC, Sommer H (2000) Public-health impact of outdoor and traffic-related air pollution: a European assessment. The Lancet 356:795–801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu H, Zhu L, Chen S (2008) Pollution level, phase distribution and health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor air at public places of Hangzhou, China. Environ Pollut 152:569–575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Makkonen U, Hellén H, Anttila P, Ferm M (2010) Size distribution and chemical composition of airborne particles in south-eastern Finland during different seasons and wildfire episodes in 2006. Sci Total Environ 408:644–651

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martellini T, Giannoni M, Lepri L, Katsoyiannis A, Cincinelli A (2012) One year intensive PM2.5 bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons monitoring in the area of Tuscany, Italy. Concentrations, source understanding and implications. Environ Pollut 164:252–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mastral AM, Lόpez JM, Callén MS, García T, Murillo R, Navarro MV (2003) Spatial and temporal PAH concentrations in Zaragoza, Spain. Sci Total Environ 307:111–124

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mirante F, Alves C, Pio C, Pindado O, Perez R, Revuelta MA, Artiñano B (2013) Organic composition of size segregated atmospheric particulate matter, during summer and winter sampling campaigns at representative sites in Madrid, Spain. Atmos Res 132–133:345–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohanraj R, Solaraj G, Dhanakumar S (2011) Fine particulate phase PAHs in ambient atmosphere of Chennai metropolitan city India. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18:764–771. doi:10.1007/s11356-010-0423-y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mostert MMR, Ayoko GA, Kokot S (2010) Application of chemometrics to analysis of soil pollutants. Trends Anal Chem 29:430–435

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nisbet C, La Goy P (1992) Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Regul Toxicol Pharm 16:290–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohura T, Amagai T, Sugiyama T, Fusaya M, Matsushita H (2004) Characteristics of particle matter and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor and outdoor air in two cities in Shizuoka, Japan. Atmos Environ 38:2045–2054

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Okona-Mensah KB, Battershill J, Boobis A, Fielder R (2005) An approach to investigating the importance of high potency polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the induction of lung cancer by air pollution. Food Chem Toxicol 43:1103–1116

    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 

  • Slooff W, Janus JA, Matthijsen AJCM, Montizaan GK, Ros JPM (1989) Integrated criteria document PAHs, Report No. 758,474,011, The Netherlands National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven

  • Straif K, Baan R, Grosse Y, Secretan B, El Ghissassi F, Cogliano V, On behalf of the Who International Agency for Research on Cancer Monograph Working Group (2005) Carcinogenicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Lancet Oncol 6:931–932

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tham YWF, Takeda K, Sakugawa H (2008) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with atmospheric particles in Higashi Hiroshima, Japan: influence of meteorological conditions and seasonal variations. Atmos Res 88:224–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trabelsi S, Driss MR (2005) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in superficial coastal sediments from Bizerte Lagoon, Tunisia. Mar Pollut Bull 50:344–359

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai PJ, Shih TS, Chen HL, Lee WJ, Lai CH, Liou SH (2004) Assessing and predicting the exposures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their carcinogenic potencies from vehicle engine exhausts to highway toll station workers. Atmos Environ 38:333–343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsapakis M, Stephanou EG (2005) Occurrence of gaseous and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the urban atmosphere: study of sources and ambient temperature effect on the gas/particle concentration and distribution. Environ Pollut 133:147–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Venkataraman C, Friedlander SK (1994) Size distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and elemental carbon: 2. Ambient measurements and effects of atmospheric processes. Environ Sci Technol 28:563–572

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Chen J, Yang P, Qiao X, Tian F (2007) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Dalian soils: distribution and toxicity assessment. J Environ Monitor 9:199–204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Cheng H, Xiaobai Xu, Zhuang G, Chuandong Zhao (2008) A wintertime study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 in Beijing: assessment of energy structure conversion. J Hazard Mater 157:47–56

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (World Health Organization) (2001) Air quality guidelines for Europe. http://www.euro.who.int/document/e71922.pdf. Accessed 22 Oct 2013

  • Yunker MB, Macdonald RW, Brewer R, Mitchell RH, Goyette D, Sylvester S (2002) PAHs in the Fraser River basin: a critical appraisal of PAH ratios as indicators of PAH source and composition. Org Geochem 33:489–515

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zaghden H, Kallel M, Elleuch B, Oudot J, Saliot A (2007) Sources and distribution of aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of Sfax, Tunisia, Mediterranean Sea. Mar Chem 105:70–89

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors want to express their thanks to all those who were contributed in this work and acknowledge the Editors and anonymous referees for valuable comments and suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (05/UR/12-03), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, 7021, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia

    S. Ben Hassine, B. Hammami, W. Ben Ameur, Y. El Megdiche, B. Barhoumi & M. R. Driss

Authors
  1. S. Ben Hassine
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Hammami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. Ben Ameur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Y. El Megdiche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. B. Barhoumi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. R. Driss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. R. Driss.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ben Hassine, S., Hammami, B., Ben Ameur, W. et al. Particulate Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in the Atmosphere of Bizerte City, Tunisia. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 93, 375–382 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1303-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1303-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation