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Seasonal Abundance of Particle-Phase Organic Pollutants in an Urban/Industrial Atmosphere

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Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); their derivatives nitro, and methyl-PAHs; n-alkanes; and organic acids were investigated in the aerosol samples collected during two field campaigns conducted at three sampling stations in an industrialized city in southern Italy. The main sources affecting the atmosphere and its toxicity were investigated by means of the diagnostic ratios of: specific particulate-phase PAHs, marker compounds among nitro-PAHs, alkanes, and acids, the dominant wind direction, daily and seasonal abundance of carcinogenic organic substances. The potential importance of the non-regulated pollutants to assess the air quality was confirmed; in fact the carcinogenic organic compounds showed to have scarce correlation with particulate matter (PM) concentration. An exceptionally high variability of toxic compounds at a daily scale was due to meteorological condition causing periods of extremely high pollution levels.

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Acknowledgements

The measurements and data analysis of organic acids were supported by CNR/IIA, Dr. Angelo Cecinato and Dr. Catia Balducci. The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. M. Eileen Birch for helpful discussions. The research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (project, PMS/022/2002).

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  1. ISPESL-DIPIA, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00040 Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy

    Patrizia Di Filippo, Carmela Riccardi, Donatella Pomata & Claudio Gariazzo

  2. Department of Chemistry, University La Sapienza, P.le A.Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Francesca Buiarelli

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  1. Patrizia Di Filippo
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  2. Carmela Riccardi
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  3. Donatella Pomata
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Correspondence to Patrizia Di Filippo.

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Di Filippo, P., Riccardi, C., Pomata, D. et al. Seasonal Abundance of Particle-Phase Organic Pollutants in an Urban/Industrial Atmosphere. Water Air Soil Pollut 211, 231–250 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0295-2

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