Octanol-air partition coefficients (K OA ) for 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined as a function of temperature using the gas chromatographic retention time method. log K OA values at 251 ranged over six orders of magnitude, between 6.34 (acenaphthylene) and 12.59 (dibenz[a,h]anthracene). The determined K OA values were within factor of 0.7 (dibenz[a,h]anthracene) to 15.1 (benz[a]anthracene) of values calculated as the ratio of octanol-water partition coefficient to dimensionless Henry's law constant. Supercooled liquid vapor pressures (P L ) of 13 PAHs were also determined using the gas chromatographic retention time technique. Activity coefficients in octanol calculated using K OA and P L ranged between 3.2 and 6.2 indicating near-ideal solution behavior.Atmospheric concentrations measured in this study in Izmir, Turkey were used to investigate the partitioning of PAHs between particle and gas-phases. Experimental gas-particle partition coefficients (K p ) were compared to the predictions of K OA absorption and K SA (soot-air partition coefficient) models. Octanol-based absorptive partitioning model predicted lower partition coefficients especially for relatively volatile PAHs. Ratios of measured/modeled partition coefficients ranged between 1.1 and 15.5 (4.576.0, average7SD) for K OA model. K SA model predictions were relatively better and measured to modeled ratios ranged between 0.6 and 5.6 (2.372.7, average7SD).

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Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and many organic chemicals contained in household cleaning products may react to generate halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Halogenated VOC emissions from eight different chlorine bleach containing household products (pure and diluted) were investigated by headspace experiments. Chloroform and carbon tetrachloride were the leading compounds along with several halogenated compounds in the headspace of chlorine bleach products. One of the most surprising results was the presence of carbon tetrachloride (a probable human carcinogen and a powerful greenhouse gas that was banned for household use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) in very high concentrations (up to 101 mg m(-3)). By mixing surfactants or soap with NaOCl, it was shown that the formation of carbon tetrachloride and several other halogenated VOCs is possible. In addition to quantitatively determined halogenated VOCs (n = 15), several nitrogen-containing (n = 4), chlorinated (n = 10), oxygenated compounds (n = 22), and hydrocarbons (n = 14) were identified in the headspace of bleach products. Among these, 1,1-dichlorobutane and 2-chloro-2-nitropropane were the most abundant chlorinated VOCs, whereas trichloronitromethane and hexachloroethane were the most frequently detected ones. Indoor air halogenated VOC concentrations resulting from the use of four selected household products were also measured before, during, and 30 min after bathroom, kitchen, and floor cleaning applications. Chloroform (2.9-24.6 microg m(-3)) and carbon tetrachloride (0.25-459 microg m(-3)) concentrations significantly increased during the use of bleach containing products. During/ before concentration ratios ranged between 8 and 52 (25 +/- 14, average +/- SD) for chloroform and 1-1170 (146 +/- 367, average +/- SD) for carbon tetrachloride, respectively. These results indicated that the bleach use can be important in terms of inhalation exposure to carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and several other halogenated VOCs.