TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) using passive air sampling in the atmosphere of one of the most wood-smoke-polluted cities in Chile
T2 - The case study of Temuco
AU - Pozo, Karla
AU - Estellano, Victor H.
AU - Harner, Tom
AU - Diaz-Robles, Luis
AU - Cereceda-Balic, Francisco
AU - Etcharren, Pablo
AU - Pozo, Katerine
AU - Vidal, Victor
AU - Guerrero, Fabián
AU - Vergara-Fernández, Alberto
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2015/9/1
Y1 - 2015/9/1
N2 - This study addresses human health concerns in the city of Temuco that are attributed to wood smoke and related pollutants associated with wood burning activities that are prevalent in Temuco. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in air across urban and rural sites over three seasons in Temuco using polyurethane foam (PUF) disk passive air samplers (PUF-PAS). Concentrations of σPAHs (15 congeners) in air ranged from BDL to ~70ngm-3 and were highest during the winter season, which is attributed to emissions from residential heating by wood combustion. The results for all three seasons showed that the PAH plume was widespread across all sites including rural sites on the outskirts of Temuco. Some interesting variations were observed between seasons in the composition of PAHs, which were attributed to differences in seasonal point sources. A comparison of the PAH composition in the passive samples with active samples (gas+particle phase) from the same site revealed similar congener profiles. Overall, the study demonstrated that the PUF disk passive air sampler provides a simple approach for measuring PAHs in air and for tracking effectiveness of pollution control measures in urban areas in order to improve public health.
AB - This study addresses human health concerns in the city of Temuco that are attributed to wood smoke and related pollutants associated with wood burning activities that are prevalent in Temuco. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in air across urban and rural sites over three seasons in Temuco using polyurethane foam (PUF) disk passive air samplers (PUF-PAS). Concentrations of σPAHs (15 congeners) in air ranged from BDL to ~70ngm-3 and were highest during the winter season, which is attributed to emissions from residential heating by wood combustion. The results for all three seasons showed that the PAH plume was widespread across all sites including rural sites on the outskirts of Temuco. Some interesting variations were observed between seasons in the composition of PAHs, which were attributed to differences in seasonal point sources. A comparison of the PAH composition in the passive samples with active samples (gas+particle phase) from the same site revealed similar congener profiles. Overall, the study demonstrated that the PUF disk passive air sampler provides a simple approach for measuring PAHs in air and for tracking effectiveness of pollution control measures in urban areas in order to improve public health.
KW - PAHs
KW - PUF disk
KW - Public health
KW - Temuco
KW - Wood combustion
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84930606607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.04.077
DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.04.077
M3 - Article
C2 - 26022137
AN - SCOPUS:84930606607
SN - 0045-6535
VL - 134
SP - 475
EP - 481
JO - Chemosphere
JF - Chemosphere
ER -
