Gas–particle partitioning and dry deposition of atmospheric parent, alkylated, nitrated and hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons over the Bohai sea and northern Yellow sea in autumn

Abstract

To elucidate the gas–particle partitioning characteristics and dry deposition contributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the marine environment, 23 integrated air samples were collected during a research cruise in the northern Yellow Sea (NYS) and Bohai Sea (BS) in mid-autumn 2020. The atmospheric concentrations of 23 parent PAHs (PPAHs), 18 alkylated PAHs (APAHs), five nitrated PAHs (NPAHs), and seven hydroxyl PAHs (OPAHs) in gaseous and particulate phases were measured simultaneously. The total concentrations of 53 PAHs varied from 8.77 to 348 ng/m3. The 2-ring and 3-ring PPAHs and APAHs had lower particle-bound fractions than those of the NPAHs and OPAHs. For the gas–particle partitioning of the PAHs, the gas–particle partitioning coefficients (Kp) estimated using an octanol–air partition coefficient (KOA)–based model and KOA/soot–air partition coefficient (KSA) dual model (KOA–KSA dual model) were lower than the Kp measured in the field. Underestimation of the Kp commonly occurred with these models, but the KOA–KSA dual model was more suitable than the KOA–based model for gas–particle partitioning of the 53 atmospheric PAHs in the BS and NYS. The estimated atmospheric dry deposition fluxes of the 53 PAHs ranged from 631 to 14,345 ng/m2/day. The BS receives a PAHs load of up to 117 tons/year. The study provides background information on the occurrence and environmental fate of PAHs and could be vitally important for environmental safety management for the Northwest Pacific Ocean.