Comparison of the Profiles of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Different Areas of a City by Glass-Capillary-Gas-Chromatography in the Nanogram-Range

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Abstract
Since the PAH [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon] mixtures of different emittants such as coal heatings, oil heatings or gasoline engines are different and characteristic, these PAH profiles should be helpful in recognizing the main sources of an air pollution. This investigation compared the local concentrations of several selected PAH and recorded the temporary variation in PAH profiles of different areas in a city during the year. The collection system consisted of a low volume air sampler connected with a glass fiber filter (490 cm2). To separate the mixture of PAH glass capillary-gas chromatography was used and 15 PAH [benzo[b]naphtho(2,1-d)thiophene, benzo[c]phenanthrene [BcPH], benzo[ghi]fluoranthene, benz[a]anthracene, cyclopenta[cd]pyrene [cyc], chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthrene, benzo[j]fluoranthene + benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[e]pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene [BaP], perylene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene [BghiP], coronene [COR]] were selected (splitless injection, Silicone OV 17). The repeatability of the total collecting procedure and for the analysis was satisfactory. Areas selected inside the city consisted of an area with hand-stoked residential coal heatings, an area with oil heatings preferentially, stations in a tunnel with automobile traffic and an area surrounding a coke plant. The PAH profiles differed in many cases from area to area, and the concentrations of all PAH regarded (including BaP) varied strongly during the day, week and year on the same place, even during the heating period for the 16 collecting stations investigated monthly (e.g., in case of BaP at the same place, from 1.6-299 ng/m3). The distribution pattern of 4 PAH (BcPH, CYC, BghiP, COR) was different from the other PAH recorded in the city. The 1st one correlated to the automobile traffic in the tunnel.