Estimation of gaseous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and characteristics of atmospheric PAHs at a traffic site in Kanazawa, Japan.

Publication date: Mar 01, 2025

Size-fractionated particulate matter (PM and PM) was collected at a traffic site in Kanazawa, Japan in a seasonal sampling work in 2020. Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (4- to 6-ring PAHs) were determined in fine and coarse particles. The gas/particle partitioning coefficients (K) of the PAHs were calculated from the supercooled liquid vapour pressure and octanol-air partitioning coefficient based on the relationships obtained in previous traffic pollution-related studies. Gaseous PAHs were estimated by K and the concentrations of PM and particulate PAHs. The concentrations of total PAHs were 32. 5, 320. 1 and 5646. 2 pg/m in the PM, PM and gas phases, respectively. Significant seasonal trends in PAHs were observed (particle phase: lowest in summer, gas phase: lowest in spring, particle and gas phase: lowest in spring). Compared to 2019, the total PAH concentrations (in particles) decreased in 2020, especially in spring and summer, which might be due to reduced traffic trips during the COVID-19 outbreak. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) calculated from the toxic equivalent concentrations relative to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) was lower than the acceptable limit issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency, indicating a low cancer risk in long-term exposure to current PAH levels. It is notable that gaseous PAHs considerably contributed to BaP and ILCR (over 50%), which highlighted the significance of gaseous PAH monitoring for public health protection. This low-cost estimation method for gaseous PAHs can be expected to reliably and conveniently obtain PAH concentrations as a surrogate for traditional sampling in the future work.

Concepts Keywords
Benzoapyrene Air Pollutants
China Air Pollutants
Environmental COVID-19
Traffic Environmental Monitoring
Exposure-response relationship
Gas-particle partitioning
Japan
Particulate Matter
Particulate Matter
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Seasons
Traffic
Vehicle Emissions
Vehicle Emissions

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease IDO site
disease VO Optaflu
drug DRUGBANK Medical air
drug DRUGBANK Aminohippuric acid
disease MESH COVID-19
disease MESH cancer

Original Article

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