Assessment of single- and dual-PUF-containing passive air samplers for the collection of atmospheric PAHs

Abstract

In this study, atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in fifteen individual, consecutive sampling events conducted in a semi-urban area of Bursa between June 2021 and February 2022 using passive air samplers (PASs). In this study, PASs containing single and dual PUF disks were used simultaneously and side by side. The aim of this study was to compare the results obtained from PASs containing single and dual PUF disks in terms of mass and number of PAH compounds. To our knowledge, the use of PASs containing dual PUF disks was applied for the first time in the literature. Because of the extended surface area, dual PUFs containing PAS can sample and detect more atmospheric PAHs. PAH masses in both samplers had a decreasing relationship with temperature. During the sampling period, the total masses of PAHs (∑16 PAH) were calculated as 1058 ± 1042 ng (117–3380 ng) on single-PUF disks and 1930 ± 1749 ng (279–5640 ng) on dual-PUF disks. The ratio of the dual-PUF value to the single-PUF value for ∑16 PAH in the samples varied between 1.41 and 3.45 (1.99 ± 0.50). Moreover, when the single and dual PUF mass results were evaluated on a compound basis, high correlation results were obtained. The sampling characteristics of both samplers were interpreted with the effect of possible PAH sources. It was determined that both samplers were affected by the same sources in the region due to the high similarities in diagnostic ratios. The main sources of PAHs were primarily residential heating and vehicle emissions.