Transport of gas-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to the Venice lagoon.
Concentrations of gas-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied over one year at two sites of the Venice lagoon (designated Marine and Industrial) and at a mainland station (designated Rural) in Italy. Average sigmaPAH concentrations, calculated as sum of 16 PAHs, at Marine are about three and five times lower than those at Industrial and Rural, respectively. The seasonal trends, the temperature-PAH relationship, and principal component analysis indicate that at Industrial and Marine sites several local sources (vehicle and industrial emissions, etc.) could be the PAH sources in the warmer months, whereas in the colder months the main PAH sources could alternate between vehicle emissions and residential heating. At Rural the main PAH sources are: vehicle emissions in the spring and autumn; vehicle emissions, field burning, and wood combustion in the summer; and vehicle emissions and fuel consumption for residential heating in the winter. To evaluate the contribution from different sources to the Venice Lagoon air, horizontal fluxes of PAHs have been obtained. The estimated annual flux of PAHs is about 9 times greater at Industrial (193.5 mg m(-2) y(-1)) than at Marine (20.6 mg m(-2) y(-1)). These results show that study of the chemical contamination of the Venice atmosphere must take into account the PAH flux derived from marine sources as well as the continental input.
Gambaro
Andrea
A
Environmental Sciences Department, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, 30123 Venice, Italy. gambaro@unive.it
Manodori
Laura
L
Moret
Ivo
I
Capodaglio
Gabriele
G
Cescon
Paolo
P
D000392:Air Movements; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D007221:Industry; D007558:Italy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical