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Atmospheric PAH Concentrations in Fine and Coarse Particles

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Abstract

Measurements of the urban air concentrations of PAHsassociated with PM2.5-fine and PM10-coarse particles inChicago on the campus of IIT were achieved using a UniversalAir Sampler. Short sampling time (12 hr) and high flowrates were used to measure the PAH concentrations in fineand coarse particles. Measured ambient concentrations ofPAHs were classified based on wind direction and backtrajectory calculations as Land and Lake samples.Differences in ambient concentrations of PAHs were observedbetween Land and Lake samples. Fine particle concentrationsvaried from 9.5 to 25.7 ng m-3 and averaged18.2 ng m-3 for the Land samples, while they ranged from4.2 to 31.5 ng m-3 and averaged 13.4 ng m-3 for the Lake samples. The measured PAH concentrationsin coarse particles varied from 6.2 to 22.1 ng m-3 and averaged 12.9 ng m-3 for the Land samples, andthey ranged from 2.4 to 13.0 ng m-3 with an average value of 7.3 ng m-3 for the Lake samples. The fine/coarse ratio of each individual PAH compound varied between1.3 and 2.7 for the Land samples; it varied between 1.6 and 4.2 for the Lake samples. There was an increase in the fine/coarse ratio of PAH as molecular weight of the compound increases for both Land and Lake samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Balikesir University, c[Balikesir, Turkey

    Nedim Vardar

  2. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A

    Kenneth E. Noll

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  1. Nedim Vardar
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  2. Kenneth E. Noll
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Correspondence to Nedim Vardar.

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Vardar, N., Noll, K.E. Atmospheric PAH Concentrations in Fine and Coarse Particles. Environ Monit Assess 87, 81–92 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024489930083

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