Particle-bound PAHs quantification using a 3-stages cascade impactor in French indoor environments

Environ Pollut. 2014 Dec:195:64-72. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.08.007. Epub 2014 Sep 6.

Abstract

Cascade Impactor is a powerful sampling method to collect airborne particles as a function of their size. The 3-stages Cascade Impactor used in this study allowed to sample simultaneously particles with aerodynamic diameter Dae>10 μm, 2.5 μm<Dae<10 μm, 1 μm<Dae<2.5 μm and Dae<1 μm. Once collected individual concentrations of the 16 US-EPA priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) bound to particles were quantified for 8 different indoor environments located in Strasbourg area in France. All the heavy PAHs owning between 4 and 6 aromatic rings were detected in all of the 8 sampling sites. The total PAHs concentration varied from 0.44 to 2.09 ng m(-3) for a low-energy building school and a smoking apartment, respectively. Results revealed also that high molecular weight PAHs were mainly associated to the finest particles. Our data are consistent with those measured elsewhere in European indoor environments.

Keywords: Cascade impactor; HPLC-fluorescence; Indoor air quality; PAHs; Particles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / statistics & numerical data
  • Environment
  • Environmental Monitoring / instrumentation
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • France
  • Humans
  • Particle Size
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons