Environ Sci Pollut Res DOI 10.1007/s11356-015-4777-z
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Carcinogenic activity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons bounded on particle fraction Ivana Jakovljević 1 & Gordana Pehnec 1 & Vladimira Vadjić 1 & Anica Šišović 1 & Silvije Davila 1 & Ivan Bešlić 1
Received: 26 January 2015 / Accepted: 25 May 2015 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015
Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) originate from a variety of natural and industrial processes. In this paper, concentrations of nine PAHs in PM10 particle fraction were measured concurrently at four different sites (rural, urban residential, urban traffic, and residential-industrial) in continental Croatia. Measurements at all of the four sites showed much higher average concentrations for all of the PAHs in the winter period. The highest winter average values were measured at the industrial site and the lowest at the rural and the urban residential site. In the summer, the highest average values were also measured in the industrial area, except for benzo(ghi)perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, which showed the highest average values in the rural area. Factor analysis has been applied to PAH concentrations to identify their potential sources. Extracted factors have been interpreted on basis of previous studies and weather conditions. The diagnostic ratios calculated in this study indicated mixed sources at all of the sites. The contribution of gasoline and diesel from traffic was significant at all of the sites except for the urban industrial. In the winter, potential PAH sources also arose from wood combustion. The industrial site differed from the other sites with the highest influence of diesel sources and refinery during the summer months. The contribution of BaP in total carcinogenic activity exceeded 50 % in both seasons at all of the measured sites, which suggests that BaP could be suitable as a marker of the carcinogenic potential of a PAH mixture. Responsible editor: Constantini Samara * Ivana Jakovljević [email protected] 1
Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c. 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Keywords Diagnostic ratios . PAHs . Seasonal variations . Urban . Rural . BaP equivalents . TEF
Introduction Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are complex mixtures of congeners with different molecular weights. Because of their physicochemical properties, especially nonpolarity and hydrophobicity, they are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. PAHs are widely distributed in the atmosphere and were among the first pollutants identified as potential carcinogens. They are products of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and other organic materials and originate from a variety of natural and industrial processes. More than 500 PAHs have so far been identified in the air. PAHs with two or three aromatic rings are present in the vapor phase, while PAHs with four or more aromatic rings are adsorbed on particulate matter (Hanedar et al. 2014; Masiol et al. 2012). In cities, the dominant sources are usually traffic and residential heating. In Europe, many households have switched in last decades from solid fuels to gas. However, PAH concentrations have not changed significantly, because motor vehicle traffic has increased and now the major PAH output is from car exhaust. Studies have shown that urban populations are usually more exposed to PAHs than rural populations (Masiol et al. 2012; Callén et al. 2010; Wenger et al. 2009; Ravindra et al. 2008; Caricchia et al. 1999). In major European urban areas, the average concentrations of BaP are within the range 1–10 ng/m3. In rural areas, the concentrations are
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Carcinogenic activity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons bounded on particle fraction Ivana Jakovljević 1 & Gordana Pehnec 1 & Vladimira Vadjić 1 & Anica Šišović 1 & Silvije Davila 1 & Ivan Bešlić 1
Received: 26 January 2015 / Accepted: 25 May 2015 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015
Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) originate from a variety of natural and industrial processes. In this paper, concentrations of nine PAHs in PM10 particle fraction were measured concurrently at four different sites (rural, urban residential, urban traffic, and residential-industrial) in continental Croatia. Measurements at all of the four sites showed much higher average concentrations for all of the PAHs in the winter period. The highest winter average values were measured at the industrial site and the lowest at the rural and the urban residential site. In the summer, the highest average values were also measured in the industrial area, except for benzo(ghi)perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, which showed the highest average values in the rural area. Factor analysis has been applied to PAH concentrations to identify their potential sources. Extracted factors have been interpreted on basis of previous studies and weather conditions. The diagnostic ratios calculated in this study indicated mixed sources at all of the sites. The contribution of gasoline and diesel from traffic was significant at all of the sites except for the urban industrial. In the winter, potential PAH sources also arose from wood combustion. The industrial site differed from the other sites with the highest influence of diesel sources and refinery during the summer months. The contribution of BaP in total carcinogenic activity exceeded 50 % in both seasons at all of the measured sites, which suggests that BaP could be suitable as a marker of the carcinogenic potential of a PAH mixture. Responsible editor: Constantini Samara * Ivana Jakovljević [email protected] 1
Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c. 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Keywords Diagnostic ratios . PAHs . Seasonal variations . Urban . Rural . BaP equivalents . TEF
Introduction Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are complex mixtures of congeners with different molecular weights. Because of their physicochemical properties, especially nonpolarity and hydrophobicity, they are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. PAHs are widely distributed in the atmosphere and were among the first pollutants identified as potential carcinogens. They are products of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and other organic materials and originate from a variety of natural and industrial processes. More than 500 PAHs have so far been identified in the air. PAHs with two or three aromatic rings are present in the vapor phase, while PAHs with four or more aromatic rings are adsorbed on particulate matter (Hanedar et al. 2014; Masiol et al. 2012). In cities, the dominant sources are usually traffic and residential heating. In Europe, many households have switched in last decades from solid fuels to gas. However, PAH concentrations have not changed significantly, because motor vehicle traffic has increased and now the major PAH output is from car exhaust. Studies have shown that urban populations are usually more exposed to PAHs than rural populations (Masiol et al. 2012; Callén et al. 2010; Wenger et al. 2009; Ravindra et al. 2008; Caricchia et al. 1999). In major European urban areas, the average concentrations of BaP are within the range 1–10 ng/m3. In rural areas, the concentrations are
