Abstract
This study was carried out between January and February 2013, at two sites in the city of Cuernavaca, México, using low-volume equipment. Fifteen Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The total average concentration observed for PAHs was 24.0 ng·m−3, with the high molecular weight compounds being the most abundant. The estimated equivalent concentration for Benzo (a) P (BaPE) was 4.05 ng·m−3. Diagnostic ratios together with the principal components analysis (PCA) allowed for establishing coal burning and vehicle emissions as being the main sources of these compounds in the area. The PAHs used to calculate this index account for 51% of the 15 PAHs identified, which probably involves a risk to the exposed population.
Highlights
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most studied families of organic compounds present in the atmosphere, given their proven negative effects on health and persistence in the environment
PAHs with 2 and 3 aromatic rings (Acen, Ace, Flu, Phe and Ant) showed the lowest levels of concentration at both sites, whereas those with 4–6 rings (Flt, Pyr, BaA, Chr, BbF, BkF, BaP, IP, DBahA, BghiP) were the most abundant. This suggests that the combustion of gasoline constitutes one of the main sources of these compounds in the study area, which is consistent with that observed by Zielinska et al 2004 [12]
Given the variability in the concentration of PAHs emitted into the atmosphere, often diagnostic ratios between them are used in order to estimate the possible sources [20]
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most studied families of organic compounds present in the atmosphere, given their proven negative effects on health and persistence in the environment. PAHs are produced by incomplete combustion and pyrolysis of fossil fuels such as oil and coal, and from other organic materials from natural and anthropogenic sources [4,5,6], including vehicle emissions, wood burning, waste incineration, coke production, and metal production [7,8,9]. Their concentrations in ambient air are lower in rural than in urban and suburban areas. The results will serve as a basis for mitigation programs of air pollution and/or generation of regulatory standards for the environmental authorities responsible for monitoring of air quality
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