Photodegradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in passive air samplers: field testing different deployment chambers.
Semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were loaded with deuterated anthracene and pyrene as performance reference compounds (PRCs) and deployed at a test site in four different chambers (open and closed box chamber, bowl chamber and cage chamber) for 29 days. The losses of PRCs and the uptake of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the ambient air were quantified. UV-B levels measured in each deployment chamber indicated that SPMDs would be exposed to the most UV-B in the cage chamber and open box chamber. Significantly less PAHs were quantified in SPMDs deployed in the cage chamber and open box chamber compared to samplers from the other two chambers, suggesting that photodegradation of PAHs had occurred. The loss of PRCs confirmed these results but also showed that photodegradation was occurring in the closed box chamber. The bowl chamber appears to provide the best protection from the influence of direct photodegradation.
National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia. m.bartkow@uq.edu.au
Michael E
ME
Bartkow
Karen E
KE
Kennedy
James N
JN
Huckins
Neil
N
Holling
Tatiana
T
Komarova
Jochen F
JF
Müller
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D000393:Air Pollutants; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons