Indoor and Outdoor PM 10 -Bound PAHs in an Urban Environment. Similarity of Mixtures and Source Attribution
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Indoor and Outdoor PM10‑Bound PAHs in an Urban Environment. Similarity of Mixtures and Source Attribution David Galán‑Madruga1 · June Mérida Terroba1 · Saúl García dos Santos1 · Regina Muñoz Úbeda1 · Jesús P. García‑Cambero2 Received: 24 July 2020 / Accepted: 9 November 2020 / Published online: 17 November 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Given that the European Union lays down air quality objectives associated with outdoor environments, indoor air mixtures’ study acquires a remarkable relevance. This work aims to submit a stepwise methodological framework for assessing similarities between indoor and outdoor air mixtures and apportioning potential emission sources. For reaching this goal, PM10 particles were systematically and simultaneously collected at an indoor (dominant emission sources free) and outdoor environment during a year to determine the PAH content in both air mixtures. Broadly, outdoor PAHs levels were higher than at the indoor location, supporting a strong association between both mixtures (r = 0.968, p > 0.001), mainly during the cold period (r = 0.896, p > 0.001). The light molecular weight PAHs were highlighted at the indoor site, in particular to naphthalene and anthracene. Outdoor emission sources influenced the indoor PAH levels, especially high and medium molecular weight PAHs. The local-traffic load was identified as a dominant pollution source responsible for more than half PAHs determined at both environments. Therefore, the control of outdoor emission sources would be translated into an improvement of indoor air quality. Keywords Air quality · Indoor vs outdoor · Airborne PAH · Mixture likeness · Apportionment of sources Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are semivolatile compounds comprising two or more fused aromatic rings made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They are generated coming from the incomplete combustion of organic material and are widely distributed into the atmosphere. Their sources are usually associated with anthropogenic activities in an urban environment, such as industrial activities, vehicle emissions, and gas/coal heating systems. PAHs have received special consideration as they have been identified as carcinogenic, teratogenic, and genotoxic (Ross 2005). Given that they can be inhaled by human beings (Mesquita et al. 2014), their assessment is mandatory in the European Member States. In this context, current European legislation * David Galán‑Madruga [email protected] 1
Department of Atmospheric Pollution, National Center for Environment Health, Health Institute Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
Department of Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environment Health, Health Institute Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
2
lays down air quality standards for the PAH group. Directive 2004/107/EC set a target value of 1 ng/m3 for benzo(a) pyrene associated with P M10 in ambient air, expressed as an annual average. This air quality objective legislates outdoor environments, although people spend
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