Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in background air in central Europe - Seasonal levels and limitations for source apportionment

DVORSKÁ, Alice, Klára KOMPRDOVÁ, Gerhard LAMMEL, Jana KLÁNOVÁ and H. PLACHÁ. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in background air in central Europe - Seasonal levels and limitations for source apportionment. Atmospheric Environment. OXFORD, ENGLAND: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER, 2012, vol. 46, JANUARY, p. 147-154. ISSN 1352-2310. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.10.007.

Basic information

• Original name: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in background air in central Europe - Seasonal levels and limitations for source apportionment
• Authors: DVORSKÁ, Alice (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Klára KOMPRDOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Gerhard LAMMEL (276 Germany, belonging to the institution), Jana KLÁNOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and H. PLACHÁ (203 Czech Republic).
• Edition: Atmospheric Environment, OXFORD, ENGLAND, PERGAMON-ELSEVIER, 2012, 1352-2310.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 10511 Environmental sciences
• Country of publisher: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 3.110
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/12:00059328
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.10.007
• UT WoS: 000298763200017
• Keywords in English: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Source apportionment; Positive matrix factorization; Background site; Degradation
• Tags: AKR, rivok

Abstract

Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was applied on a large dataset of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations determined in air at the central European background monitoring site Kosetice, Czech Republic. The long-term (1996-2009) PAH median concentration in Kosetice is about 6 times higher during winter than summer months. As the source apportionment of these pollutants is accompanied by concerns regarding the loss of the source signature during atmospheric transport. PMF was run on two winter PAH concentration data subsets stratified according to different ambient levels of oxidants. It is suggested, that the typical ambient air PAH pattern is largely preserved on a regional transport scale in winter in central Europe. However, the allocation of PMF model factors to particular PAH source categories (e.g., road traffic, residential wood combustion, residential and industrial coal combustion) could not be achieved due to (a) a high similarity of reference PAH profiles among each other and (b) variability in ambient reference PAH profiles. It is suggested, that the commonly studied set of EPA PAHs is not source category specific and thus not suitable for source apportionment.

Links

• ED0001/01/01, research and development project: Name: CETOCOEN
• MSM0021622412, plan (intention): Name: Interakce mezi chemickými látkami, prostředím a biologickými systémy a jejich důsledky na globální, regionální a lokální úrovni (INCHEMBIOL) (Acronym: INCHEMBIOL)

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Interactions among the chemicals, environment and biological systems and their consequences on the global, regional and local scales (INCHEMBIOL)

• SP/1B1/30/07, research and development project: Name: Realizace vědecko-výzkumných cílů Národního implementačního plánu Stockholmské úmluvy (SciPOPs) (Acronym: SciPOPs)

Investor: Ministry of the Environment of the CR, Realization of the scientific goals of the National implementation plan of the Stockholm Convention