Analysis of organic species in airborne particulate matter

In this study, a comprehensive assessment of PM composition has been carried out including numerous organic substances such as levoglucosan (marker of wood burning), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), short chain organic acids, PAHs (identified as carcinogenic by IARC), fatty acids (to estimate the contribution of cooking), hopanes (related to traffic exhaust) and some SOA (secondary organic aerosol) markers. In particular, a new more rapid methodology has been set up for the quantification by GC-MS of hopanes and fatty acids. Punches taken from high volume filters were transferred in 2 mL vials and extracted three times by sonication (20 min) with 2 mL of a 1:1:1 vol/vol mixture of dichloromethane/nhexane/ methanol. Different classes of contaminants, such as hopanes (on average 1.09 ± 0.02 ng/m3), phthalates (on average 6.31 ± 0.29 ng/m3), and PAH (on average 7.90 ± 0.43 pg/m3) have been quantified. Paraffins, fatty acids and triglycerides were also identified. This analytical approach proposed was applied to the analysis of PM10 samples collected from June 2011 to December 2012 at the JRC ABC-IS site (http:abc-is.jrc.ec.europa.eu) in Ispra (Italy) with the double aim of carrying out a source apportionment study applying the European protocols and to deepen the knowledge on SOA formation.

FERMO P.;  BELIS Claudio;  GELMINI Fabio;  GONZALEZ Raquel;  MAFFEI-FACINO R.;  PIAZZALUNGA Andrea;  CANCELINHA Jose;  PEDRONI Valerio;  VECCHI Roberta; 

2014-01-31

Divisione di Chimica Analitica Societa' chimica italiana e Universita' di Genova

JRC86638

9788890767012,   

http://www.analitica2013.unige.it,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC86638,