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Biological and Artificial Matrixes as PAH Accumulators: An Experimental Comparative Study

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Abstract

In order to find out a new effective accumulator of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) useful for monitoring studies on a large scale and low costs, the accumulation capacity of both biological and artificial matrixes (mosses and polyester fibers, respectively) has been tested. For this purposes, Hypnum cupressiforme and dacron® were exposed to pollution airborne in two sites located nearby an active iron industry and in center of the town of Trieste, where high PAH pollution spots, due to vehicular traffic, are usually detected. The samplers were exposed in six sampling sessions for 21 days. The results obtained were compared with data collected by active PAH samplers, usually employed for official widespread monitoring. The level of correlation between the data sets was calculated. Furthermore, a repeatability study of data was performed. According to the results, both matrixes are good PAH accumulators, though they show different skills.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the Province of Trieste (Italy) for the financial support of this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento Provinciale di Trieste, ARPA FVG (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente), Via La Marmora 13, 34127, Trieste, Italy

    Nicola Skert, Jari Falomo, Luigi Giorgini, Roberto Grahonja & Nordio Miani

  2. Osservatorio Alto Adriatico, ARPA FVG (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente), Via Cairoli 14, 33057, Palmanova, Italy

    Alessandro Acquavita

  3. Sezione Operativa Laboratorio Chimico, Ufficio delle Dogane di Trieste, Largo Panfili 1, 34132, Trieste, Italy

    Lorenzo Capriglia

Authors
  1. Nicola Skert
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  2. Jari Falomo
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  3. Luigi Giorgini
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  4. Alessandro Acquavita
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  5. Lorenzo Capriglia
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  6. Roberto Grahonja
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  7. Nordio Miani
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Correspondence to Nicola Skert.

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Skert, N., Falomo, J., Giorgini, L. et al. Biological and Artificial Matrixes as PAH Accumulators: An Experimental Comparative Study. Water Air Soil Pollut 206, 95–103 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0089-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0089-6

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