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Hydrocarbon concentration and source appraisal in atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) of an urban tropical area

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Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic (46 PAHs) and aliphatic hydrocarbons (C12−C40) were studied in atmospheric particulate matter sampled in Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area (RJMA). In total, 236 samples from six different sites were collected simultaneously and weekly over 1 year (January–December 2011) allowing a robust atmospheric characterization of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Hydrocarbon concentration was in general low compared to previous studies in the area (PAHs range 0.25–19.3 ng m−3), possibly due to changes in fuel composition over time. Precipitation is the main meteorological parameter that rules particulate and hydrocarbon concentration, modifying PAH typology by scavenging. Aliphatic and aromatic diagnostic ratios gave indications conflicting with combustion features. However, ratios showed differences among sites. Principal component analysis (PCA) associated to multiple linear regressions (MLR) allowed quantitative estimate of sources and effectively indicated vehicular emission as the main hydrocarbon source in the atmospheric particulate matter.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Coordenaçãoo de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) for the financial support. The authors are also grateful to Rio de Janeiro State Environmental Institute (INEA) for supplying samples and to INMET, Sistema Alerta Rio, and Infraero for providing the meteorological data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO), 22453-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    C. G. Massone, A. L. R. Wagener, H. M. Abreu & A. Gioda

  2. Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira (IEAPM), Grupo de Oceanografia Qíımica e Geoquímica, 28930-000, Arraial do Cabo, RJ, Brazil

    C. G. Massone

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  1. C. G. Massone
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  2. A. L. R. Wagener
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  3. H. M. Abreu
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Correspondence to C. G. Massone.

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Responsible editor: Constantini Samara

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Table S1

(DOCX 11 kb)

Fig. S1

N-Alkanes Box-Plot distribution, without outliers, in particulate matter (PM2.5) from Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area (EPS 2253 kb)

Fig. S2

PAHs Box-Plot distribution, without outliers, in particulate matter (PM2.5) from Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area (EPS 2237 kb)

Fig. S3

Other PAHs quantified in atmospheric particulate matter from Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area. Data without outliers (EPS 1418 kb)

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Massone, C.G., Wagener, A.L.R., Abreu, H.M. et al. Hydrocarbon concentration and source appraisal in atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) of an urban tropical area. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 14767–14780 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4695-0

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