title: Study of nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particulate matter in Dongguan.
abstract: Total suspended and size-segregated atmospheric particles were collected in four seasons at three representative points in different functional areas of Dongguan City. The detailed size distributions of six nitro-PAHs [2-nitrofluorene (2-NF), 9-nitroanthracene, 2-nitrofluoranthene (2-NFL), 3-nitrofluoranthene, 1-nitropyrene, and 2-nitropyrene (2-NP)] were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection using a binary elution gradient (methanol and water). We used a toxicity assessment based on potency equivalency factors (PEFs) to estimate the inhalation risk of the particulate matter. The results showed that, aside from 2-NF and 2-NFL, the content of the other four nitro-PAHs in the microparticles (<0.4 μm) were more than 20%, a percentage significantly higher than other fractions of particulate matter. The seasonal distribution of nitro-PAHs shows that their concentrations were higher in the winter, while the PAH concentrations were higher in the summer. The study found that secondary formation (2-NFL and 2-NP) had a positive correlation with NO x and NO2, but a negative correlation with O3. The benzo[a]pyrene equivalent (BaPeq) toxicity of particulate matter in Dongguan City ranged from 0.04 to 2.63 ng m(-3), and the carcinogenic index ranged from 0.04 × 10(-6) to 2.39 × 10(-6). These values do not represent a serious threat to human health.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, 523808, Dongguan, China, llsshhh@163.com.
authors.forename: Shan-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Hui-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiu-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000873:Anthracenes / Q000032:analysis; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002947:Cities; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012621:Seasons; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000873:Anthracenes; D005449:Fluorenes; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; C019499:2-nitrofluorene; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; C035016:9-nitroanthracene; C033643:3-nitrofluoranthene; C049030:2-nitrofluoranthene