Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Monitoring of Long-Term Outdoor Concentrations of PAHs with Passive Air Samplers and Comparison with Meteorological Data

  • Published:
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The passive air sampler (PAS) is a common and useful tool for the sampling of semivolatile organic compounds in the ambient air. In a study performed in a semirural area of Bursa, sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), was completed between February 4, 2013, and February 3, 2014, during 10-, 20-, 30-, 40- and 60 day periods for 1 year. To determine polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAH) concentrations, 3 PASs and 1 high-volume air sampler were run simultaneously, and sampling rates (R [m3/d]) were calculated seasonally and according to the ring numbers of the PAHs. R values varied from 0.66 to 22.41 m3/d. The relationship of these values with meteorological conditions was examined statistically, and the regressions performed were found to be consistent. This study identified 15 PAH compounds \(\left({\sum}_{15} {\text{PAH}}_{}\right)\). Concentration values of 10 day samples fluctuated from 6.4 to 1100 ng/m3. Seasonal averages of the concentrations of ∑15PAHs were detected to be 141 ± 72.5 ng/m3 for winter, 74 ± 59 ng/m3 for spring, 7 ± 0.6 ng/m3 for summer and 840 ± 170 ng/m3 for autumn. In this study, the toxicity equivalents of seasonal PAH concentrations obtained were determined to be 0.5, 0.3, 0.1, and 1.8 ng/m3 in winter, spring, summer and fall, respectively. The type posing a cancer risk has been identified as BaA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aydin YM, Kara M, Dumanoglu Y, Odabasi M, Elbir T (2014) Source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in ambient air of an industrial region in Turkey. Atmos Environ 97:271–285

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baek SO, Field RA, Goldstone ME, Kirk PW, Lester JN, Perry R (1991) A review of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: sources, fates and behaviour. Water Air Soil Pollut 60:279–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bartkow ME, Hawker DW, Kennedy KE, Muller JF (2004) Characterizing uptake kinetics of PAHs from the air using polyethylene-based passive air samplers of multiple surface area-to-volume ratios. Environ Sci Technol 38:2701–2706

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birgül A, Taşdemir Y, Cindoruk SS (2011) Atmospheric wet and dry deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) determined using a modified sampler. Atmos Res 101:341–353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bohlin P, Jones KC, Strandberg B (2010) Field evaluation of polyurethane foam passive air samplers to assess airborne PAHs in occupational environments. Environ Sci Technol 44:749–754

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brun GL, Vaidya OMC, Leger MG (2004) Atmospheric deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Atlantic Canada: geographic and temporal distributions and trends 1980–2001. Environ Sci Technol 38:1941–1948

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chaemfa C, Barber JL, Moeckel C, Gocht T, Harner T, Holoubek I et al (2009) Field calibration of polyurethane foam disk passive air samplers for PBDEs. J Environ Monit 11:1859–1865

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng H, Deng Z, Chakraborty P, Liu D, Zhang R, Xu Y et al (2013) A comparison study of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in three Indian cities using PUF disk passive air samplers. Atmos Environ 73:16–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chetwittayachan T, Shimazaki D, Yamamoto K (2002) A comparison of temporal variation of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pPAHs) concentration in different urban environments: Tokyo, Japan, and Bangkok, Thailand. Atmos Environ 36:2027–2037

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi SD, Kwon HO, Lee YS, Park EJ, Oh JY (2012) Improving the spatial resolution of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using passive air samplers in a multi-industrial city. J Hazard Mater 241–242:252–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cindoruk SS, Tasdemir Y (2007) Characterization of gas/particle concentrations and partitioning of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) measured in an urban site of Turkey. Environ Pollut 148:325–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cupr P, Klanova J, Bartos T, Flegrova Z, Kohoutek J, Holoubek I (2006) Passive air sampler as a tool for long-term air pollution monitoring: part 2. Air genotoxic potency screening assessment. Environ Pollut 144:406–413

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisler R (2000) Handbook of chemical risk assessment health hazards to humans plants and animals, chapter 25. Lewis, Washington, DC

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Esen F (2006) Gas/particle concentrations partitioning and dry deposition fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Bursa atmosphere. PhD Thesis, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey

  • Esen F, Cindoruk SS, Tasdemir Y (2006) Ambient concentrations and gas/particle partitioning of PAHs in an urban site in Turkey. Environ Forensics 7:303–312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Esen F, Tasdemir Y, Cindoruk SS (2010) Dry deposition, concentration and gas/particle partitioning of atmospheric carbazole. Atmos Res 95:379–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan Z, Jung KH, Lioy PJ (2006) Development of a passive sampler to measure personal exposure to gaseous PAHs in community settings. Environ Sci Technol 40:6051–6057

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fang G, Chang K, Lu C, Bai H (2004) Estimation of PAH’s dry deposition and BaP toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) study at urban, ındustry park and rural sampling sites in Central Taiwan, Taichung. Chemosphere 55:787–796

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaga EO, Tuncel S, Tuncel SG (2009) Sources and wet deposition fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an urban site 1000 meters high in central Anatolia (Turkey). Environ Forensics 10:286–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garban B, Blanchoud H, Motelay-Massei A, Chevreuil M, Ollivon D (2002) Atmospheric bulk precipitation of PAHs onto France at typical environmental sites. Atmos Environ 36:5395–5403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gouin T, Harner T, Blanchard P, Mackay D (2005) Passive and active samplers as complementary methods for mapping the spatial and temporal distribution of persistent organic pollutants in the atmosphere of the Great Lakes Basin. Environ Sci Technol 39:9115–9122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halek F, Nabi G, Kavousi A (2008) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons study and toxic equivalency factor (TEFs) in Tehran, Iran. Environ Monit Assess 143:303–311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanedar A, Alp K, Kaynak B, Avşar E (2014) Toxicity evaluation and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at three stations in Istanbul, Turkey. Sci Total Environ 488–489:437–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harner T, Shoeib M, Diamond M, Stern G, Rosenberg B (2004) Using passive air samplers to assess urban-rural trends for persistent organic pollutants. 1. Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides. Environ Sci Technol 38:4474–4483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harner T, Sua K, Genualdi S, Karpowicz J, Ahrens L, Mihele C, Schuster J et al (2013) Calibration and application of PUF disk passive air samplers for tracking polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Atmos Environ 75:123–128

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison RM, Smith DJT, Luhana L (1996) Source apportionment of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons collected from an urban location in Birmingham, UK. Environ Sci Technol 30:825–832

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayward SJ, Gouin T, Wania F (2010) Comparison of four active and passive sampling techniques for pesticides in air. Environ Sci Technol 44:3410–3416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hazrati S, Harrad S (2007) Calibration of polyurethane foam (PUF) disk passive air samplers for quantitative measurement of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): factors influencing sampling rates. Chemosphere 67:448–455

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu YD, Bai ZP, Zhang LW, Wang X, Zhang L, Yu QC et al (2007) Health risk assessment for traffic policemen exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Tianjin, China. Sci Total Environ 382:240–250

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaward F, Farrar N, Harner T, Sweetman A, Jones KC (2004) Passive air sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated naphthalenes across Europe. Environ Toxicol Chem 23(6):1355–1364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karaca G (2016) Spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (pah) concentrations in soils from Bursa, Turkey. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 70:406–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaya E, Dumanoglu Y, Kara M, Altiok H, Bayram A, Elbir T et al (2012) Spatial and temporal variation and air–soil exchange of atmospheric PAHs and PCBs in an industrial region. Atmos Pollut Res 3:435–449

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy K, Macova M, Bartkow ME, Hawker DW, Zhao B, Denison MS et al (2010) Effect based monitoring of seasonal ambient air exposures in Australia sampled by PUF passive air samplers. Atmos Pollut Res 1:50–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klanova J, Kohoutek J, Hamplova L, Urbanova P, Holoubek I (2006) Passive air sampler as a tool for long-term air pollution monitoring: part 1. Performance assessment for seasonal and spatial variations. Environ Pollut 144(2):393–405

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klanova J, Eupr P, Kohoutek J, Harner T (2008) Assessing the influence of meteorological parameters on the performance of polyurethane foam-based passive air samplers. Environ Sci Technol 42:550–555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen RK, Baker JE (2003) Source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the urban atmosphere: a comparison of three methods. Environ Sci Technol 37:1873–1881

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li G, Wu S, Wang L, Akoh CC (2016) Concentration, dietary exposure and health risk estimation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in youtiao, a Chinese traditional fried food. Food Cont 59:328–336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu SZ, Tao S, Liu WX, Liu YN, Dou H, Zhao JY (2007) Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in North China: a winter-time study. Environ Sci Technol 41:8256–8261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu SZ, Tao S, Liu WX, Dou H, Liu YN, Zhao JY et al (2008) Seasonal and spatial occurrence and distribution of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rural and urban areas of the North Chinese plain. Environ Pollut 156:651–656

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mastral AM, Callen MS, Lopez JM, Murillo R, Garcia T, Navarro MV (2003) Critical review on atmospheric PAH. Assessment of reported data in the Mediterranean basin. Fuel Process Technol 80:183–193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melymuk L, Robson M, Helm PA, Diamond ML (2011) Evaluation of passive air sampler calibrations: selection of sampling rates and implications for the measurement of persistent organic pollutants in air. Atmos Environ 45:1867–1875

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Motelay-Massei A, Harner T, Shoeib M, Diamond M, Stern G, Rosenberg B (2005) Using passive air samplers to assess urban-rural trends for persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 2. Seasonal trends for PAHs, PCBs, and organochlorine pesticides. Environ Sci Technol 39:5763–5773

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nisbet C, Lagoy P (1992) Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 16:290–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Odabasi M, Cetin E, Sofuoglu A (2006) Determination of octanol-air partition coefficients and supercooled liquid vapor pressures of PAHs as a function of temperature: application to gas-particle partitioning in an urban atmosphere. Atmos Environ 40:6615–6625

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pankow JF, Bidleman TF (1992) Interdependence of the slopes and intercepts from log–log correlations of measured gas-particle partitioning and vapor pressure I. Theory and analysis of available data. Atmos Environ 26:1071–1080

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petry T, Schmid P, Schlatter C (1996) The use of toxic equivalency factors in assessing occupational and environmental health risk associated with exposure to airborne mixtures of PAHs. Chemosphere 32:639–648

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pozo K, Harner T, Shoeib M, Urrutia R, Barra R, Parra O et al (2004) Passive-sampler derived air concentrations of persistent organic pollutants on a North South transect in Chile. Environ Sci Technol 38:6529–6537

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ravindra K, Sokhi R, Grieken RV (2008) Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: source attribution, emission factors and regulation. Atmos Environ 42:2895–2921

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santiago EC, Cayeteno MG (2007) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air in the philippines derived from passive sampler with polyurethane foam disk. Atmos Environ 41:4138–4147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shoeib M, Harner T (2002) Characterization and comparison of three passive air samplers for persistent organic pollutants. Environ Sci Technol 36:4142–4151

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tao S, Cao J, Wang W, Zhao J, Wang W, Wang Z, Cao H, Xing B (2009) A passive sampler with improved performance for collecting gaseous and particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air. Environ Sci Technol 43:4124–4129

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tasdemir Y, Esen F (2007) Dry deposition fluxes and deposition velocities of PAHs at an urban site in Turkey. Atmos Environ 41:1288–1301

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tasdemir Y, Esen F (2008) Deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their mass transfer coefficients determined at a trafficked site. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 55:191–198

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (1984) Carcinogen assessment of coke oven emissions. Final report. Volume EPA-600/6-82-003F

  • Vardar N, Esen F, Taşdemir Y (2008) Seasonal concentrations and partitioning of PAHs in a suburban site of Bursa, Turkey. Environ Pollut 155:298–307

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vardar N, Chemseddine Z, Santos J (2013) Effect of ambient temperature on PUF passive samplers and PAHs distribution in Puerto Rico. Comput Water Energy Environ Eng 2:41–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Jariyasopit N, Schrlau J, Jia Y, Tao S, Yu TW et al (2011) Concentration and photochemistry of PAHs, NPAHs, and OPAHs and toxicity of PM 2.5 during the Beijing olympic games. Environ Sci Technol 45:6687–6695

    Google Scholar 

  • Wania F, Shen L, Lei YD, Teixeira C, Muir DCG (2003) Development and calibration of a resin-based passive sampling system for monitoring persistent organic pollutants in the atmosphere. Environ Sci Technol 37:1352–1359

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wannaz ED, Abril GA, Rodriguez JH, Pignata ML (2013) Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in industrial and urban areas using passive air samplers and leaves of Tillandsia capillaris. J Environ Chem Eng 1:1028–1035

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xia Z, Duan X, Tao S, Qiu W, Liu D, Wang Y et al (2013) Pollution level, inhalation exposure and lung cancer risk of ambient atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Taiyuan, China. Environ Pollut 173:150–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xie Z, Ebinghaus R (2008) Analytical methods for the determination of emerging organic contaminants in the atmosphere. Anal Chim Acta 610:156–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang G, Chakraborty P, Li J, Sampathkumar P, Balasubramanian T, Kathiresan K, Takahashi S et al (2008) Passive atmospheric sampling of organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in urban, rural, and wetland sites along the coastal length of India. Environ Sci Technol 42:8218–8223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by The Commission of Scientific Research Projects of the Uludag University with Project Number: OUAP (M) 2012/22. We thank A. Egemen Sakın for worthy help during tiresome laboratory studies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Uludag University, 16059, Nilüfer, Bursa, Turkey

    Y. Mine Evci, Fatma Esen & Yücel Taşdemir

Authors
  1. Y. Mine Evci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fatma Esen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yücel Taşdemir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fatma Esen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Evci, Y.M., Esen, F. & Taşdemir, Y. Monitoring of Long-Term Outdoor Concentrations of PAHs with Passive Air Samplers and Comparison with Meteorological Data. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 71, 246–256 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-016-0292-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-016-0292-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation