Size distribution of polycyclical aromatic hydrocarbons near a street with a lot of traffic

Abstract

Aerosol mass size distributions of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured during 7 days in a zone of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria submitted to intensive car traffic. Mass median diameters range from 0.86 to 1.82 mum for particulate matter and from 0.38 to 1.31 mum for individual PAHs. Particulate matter mass size distribution exhibit a bimodal character with modal diameters in 0.08-0,3 mum and 3.8-7.4 mum. PAHs with molecular weights between 166 and 202 (fluorene, phenantrene, anthracene and fluoranthene) were distributed between the fine (aerodynamic diameter < 2 μm) and coarse (aerodynamic diameter > 2mum) aerosols. PAHs with molecular weights greater 228 were associated primarily with the fine aerosol fraction.