title: Particulate matter, gas-phase and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an urban environment heavily impacted by vehicular traffic (Bologna, Italy).
abstract: A set of 8 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been analysed in a traffic-limited area in Bologna downtown, both in the gas-phase and in the particulate phase (PM10), and gas-to-particle partitioning has been investigated. From Sep 2002 to May 2003, 28 high volume PM10 samplings were carried out, and in 50 % of the samplings, PM10 concentrations exceeded the limit of 50 microg/m3 established by a 1999 EU directive. A precisely defined sampling strategy was adopted to limit artifacts (8 h sampling in the same time interval) in the 28 samplings carried out in different meteorological conditions. A linear log-log correlation was found between gas-particle partitioning coefficients KBp and the subcooled liquid vapour pressures pB0LB, with rP2P = 0.82 and slope = -0.59. This empirical correlation may be used to anticipate the total (gas + particle-bound) concentration of each PAHs in this urban site, once PM10 and the particle-bound concentration is measured. Parallel samplings of PM10 and of PM2.5 allowed us to ascertain that PM2.5 represents the gross contribution to PM10 and that most of the particle-bound PAHs reside on the finest fraction of particulate matter.
authors.affiliation: Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Chimica G Ciamician, Italy.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stracquadanio
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trombini
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016477:Artifacts; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D010316:Particle Size; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014504:Urban Health; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*; D014691:Ventilation
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions