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Identification of concentrations and sources of PM2.5-bound PAHs in North China during haze episodes in 2013

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Abstract

An analysis of 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 microns) samples collected at Yucheng, Shandong, in June 2013 was conducted to determine the concentrations, composition, sources, and associated cancer risk. The results revealed that the average PAH concentration was higher during haze episodes (28.28 ± 8.35 ng m−3) when compared to non-haze episodes (23.68 ± 4.17 ng m−3), and diagnostic ratio and principal component analyses indicate that the predominant sources of PAHs were from fossil fuel and coal combustion, likely from vehicle emissions and industrial sources and biomass burning. Coal combustion and biomass burning contributed significantly more during haze episodes, whereas liquid fossil fuel combustion (e.g. petroleum) was the dominant contributor during the non-haze periods. In addition, back-trajectory calculations revealed that the long-distance transport of air masses from regions with industrial pollution and biomass burning contributed significantly to the concentrations of PAHs in the region. The concentration of high molecular weight PAHs (HMW-PAHs) increased from 62.3 % under non-haze conditions to 67.9 % during the haze periods. The benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent carcinogenic potency value during haze episodes was higher (7.09 ng m−3) than that during non-haze (5.64 ng m−3) periods and adults over 30 years old in the Shandong province are at an increased risk of cancer from PAHs.

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Acknowledgements

The funding of this research was supported by the Taishan Scholar Grant (ts20120552), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21307074 and 21577079), and the Fundamental Research Funds of Shandong University (No. 2014GN010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China

    Lingxiao Yang, Jianmin Chen, Xinfeng Wang, Hao Li, Yanhong Zhu, Liang Wen, Caihong Xu, Junmei Zhang & Wenxing Wang

  2. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China

    Wei Lu, Lingxiao Yang & Jianmin Chen

  3. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Fudan Tyndall Centre, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Jianmin Chen

  4. State Key Lab for Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Tong Zhu

  5. Henan Institute of Engineering, Zhengzhou, 451191, China

    Hao Li

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  1. Wei Lu
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Lu, W., Yang, L., Chen, J. et al. Identification of concentrations and sources of PM2.5-bound PAHs in North China during haze episodes in 2013. Air Qual Atmos Health 9, 823–833 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-015-0386-8

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