Emission of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Beech Wood Combustion

Abstract

This study reports results on 16 EU priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoke produced by beech wood combustion from Zlatibor region, Serbia. Smoke samples were collected with two different types of tubes (PUF and XAD-2), at a height of 2 and 5 m away from the firebox; 16 EU priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [European Commission (2005), Commission Recommendation 2005/108/EC, Official Journal of European Union L34:43–45; JECFA (2005), Summary and Conclusion. Paper No. JECFA/64/SC, Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, Sixty-Fourth Meeting, Rome, Italy, February 8–17] were identified and quantified by Fast-GC/HRMS. The analyzed PAHs were: benzo[c]fluorene (BcL), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), cyclopenta[c,d]pyrene (CPP), chrysene (CHR), 5-methylchrysene (5MC), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), benzo[j]fluoranthene (BjF), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), benzo[g,h,i]perylene (BgP), dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DhA), indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (IcP), dibenzo[a,e]pyrene (DeP), dibenzo[a,h]pyrene (DhP), dibenzo[a,i]pyrene (DiP) and dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DlP). Results show that total emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at a height of 2 m was 6.7 and 7.4 mg m−3 , in PUF and XAD-2 tubes, respectively. At height of 5 m polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emission was 2.4 and 4.3 mg m−3 , in PUF and XAD-2 tubes, respectively. BaP contribution to total sum of 16 EU priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was 4% (PUF tubes) and 7.2% (XAD-2 tubes) at a height of 2 m, and 5% (PUF tubes) and 8.3% (XAD-2 tubes) at a height of 5 m. Total benzo[a]pirene equivalent concentrations (BaPeq) in smoke samples were calculated.