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PM2.5-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an Area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Impacted by Emissions of Light-Duty Vehicles Fueled by Ethanol-Blended Gasoline

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize the PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and their diagnostic ratios in an area impacted by light-duty vehicles fueled by neat ethanol and ethanol-blended gasoline. Samples were collected using a high-volume sampler, extracted, and analyzed for all 16 EPA-priority PAHs using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) following the EPA 3550B Method. The most abundant PAHs were benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene. The total mean concentration was 3.80 ± 2.88 ng m−3, and the contribution of carcinogenic species was 58 ± 16 % of the total PAHs. The cumulative health hazard from the PAH mixture was determined, and the carcinogenic equivalents and mutagenic equivalents were 0.80 ± 0.82 and 1.17 ± 1.04 ng m−3, respectively. Diagnostic ratios and normalized ratios were calculated for the individual samples.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded in part by FAPERJ, CNPq and CAPES. We also acknowledge D.Sc. Luciana S. Varandas da Silva and Carlos A. Bulchi Ribeiro for helping with sample analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Química, Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Bloco A, Sala 408, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21949-900, Brazil

    Rafael Lopes Oliveira, Josiane Loyola, Alan Silva Minho, Débora de Almeida Azevedo & Graciela Arbilla

  2. Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Rio de Janeiro. Rua Senador Furtado, 121, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20270-020, Brazil

    Simone Lorena Quiterio

Authors
  1. Rafael Lopes Oliveira
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  2. Josiane Loyola
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  3. Alan Silva Minho
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  4. Simone Lorena Quiterio
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  5. Débora de Almeida Azevedo
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  6. Graciela Arbilla
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Correspondence to Graciela Arbilla.

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Oliveira, R.L., Loyola, J., Minho, A.S. et al. PM2.5-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an Area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Impacted by Emissions of Light-Duty Vehicles Fueled by Ethanol-Blended Gasoline. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 93, 781–786 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1409-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1409-0

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