Determination of particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air samples from the upper Silesia region of Poland

Abstract

A gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) data system and capillary gas chromatography have been used for qualitative-quantitative determination of PAHs in air samples from Upper Silesia, Poland. Airborne particulate samples were collected in the winter and summer, on glass-fiber filters which were Soxhlet-extracted using cyclohexane. The extractable organic matter was submitted to several steps of clean-up procedure by using liquid-liquid chromatography in system Sephadex LH-20, 85% methanol/ n-hexane and adsorption chromatography on Sephadex LH-20/isopropanol. The PAH fractions containing three and more rings in a molecule were particularly analysed. Retention times and mass spectra for standards were compared with the data obtained for PAH fractions using the GC-MS system. All 14 identified PAHs were determined quantitatively by the internal standard method using GC. The amounts of 14 estimated PAHs ranged from above 3 to 400 ng m −3 in the winter season, while in the summer they ranged from 1 to above 60 ng m −3. The identification of numerous PAHs, most of which exhibit biological activity, indicates a high degree of air pollution in the Upper Silesia region of Poland. In almost all places of sampling in both seasons tested the standard limit for permissible benzo( a)pyrene content in the air was exceeded.