Airborne particulates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air in Donghe, northern China.
Five sets of size-fractionated particles were collected in a northern China village in various seasons in order to measure respirable airborne particulates (PM10) and particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air. The time-weighted annual mean concentration and standard deviation of PM10 were 358 +/- 107 microg/m3, higher than both the national standard (100 microg/m3) and the levels observed in several contaminated northern Chinese cities. In addition to high levels of PAHs (391 +/- 487 ng/m3), the fraction of higher molecular weight PAHs was higher than most reported in the literature, and the time-weighted annual mean benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentration was 44.2 +/- 51.4 ng/m3, more than four times the national standard of 10 ng/m3 and 44 times the WHO guideline of 1 ng/m3. Apparently, residents in Donghe suffer from exposure to high levels of both PM10 and particulate phase PAHs. The particle size distribution was centered in the range of Dp < or = 3.3 microm in winter and shifted to the ranges of Dp < or = 2.1 microm and 5.8 microm < Dp < 10 microm in spring and summer respectively. Approximately 90.0% of PAHs were associated with airborne particulates with Dp < or = 2.1 microm.
Wang
Wei
W
Laboratoryfor Earth Surface Processes, College of Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beifing, China.
Tao
Shu
S
Wang
Wentao
W
Shen
Guofeng
G
Zhao
Jingyu
J
Lam
Kin-Che
KC
D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012621:Seasons
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons