Monitoring of long-term outdoor concentrations of PAHs with passive air samplers and comparison with meteorological data

Abstract

The passive air sampler (PAS) is a common and useful tool for the sampling of semivolatile organic compounds in the ambient air. In a study performed in a semirural area of Bursa, sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), was completed between February 4, 2013, and February 3, 2014, during 10-, 20-, 30-, 40- and 60 day periods for 1 year. To determine polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAH) concentrations, 3 PASs and 1 high-volume air sampler were run simultaneously, and sampling rates (R [m(3)/d]) were calculated seasonally and according to the ring numbers of the PAHs. R values varied from 0.66 to 22.41 m(3)/d. The relationship of these values with meteorological conditions was examined statistically, and the regressions performed were found to be consistent. This study identified 15 PAH compounds . Concentration values of 10 day samples fluctuated from 6.4 to 1100 ng/m(3). Seasonal averages of the concentrations of a(15)PAHs were detected to be 141 +/- 72.5 ng/m(3) for winter, 74 +/- 59 ng/m(3) for spring, 7 +/- 0.6 ng/m(3) for summer and 840 +/- 170 ng/m(3) for autumn. In this study, the toxicity equivalents of seasonal PAH concentrations obtained were determined to be 0.5, 0.3, 0.1, and 1.8 ng/m(3) in winter, spring, summer and fall, respectively. The type posing a cancer risk has been identified as BaA.