Effects of heating season on residential indoor and outdoor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon, and particulate matter in an urban birth cohort

Abstract

Exposure to air pollutants has been associated with adverse health effects. However, analyses of the effects of season and ambient parameters such as ozone have not been fully conducted. Residential indoor and outdoor air levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), black carbon (measured as absorption coefficient [Abs]), and fine particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM)2.5 were measured over two-weeks in a cohort of 5–6 year old children (n=334) living in New York City’s Northern Manhattan and the Bronx between October 2005 and April 2010. The objectives were to: 1) characterize seasonal changes in indoor and outdoor levels and indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios of PAH (gas + particulate phase; dichotomized into Σ8PAHsemivolatile (MW 178–206), and Σ8PAHnonvolatile (MW 228–278)), Abs, and PM2.5; and 2) assess the relationship between PAH and ozone. Results showed that heating compared to nonheating season was associated with greater Σ8PAHnonvolatile (p<0.001) and Abs (p<0.05), and lower levels of Σ8PAHsemivolatile (p<0.001). In addition, the heating season was associated with lower I/O ratios of Σ8PAHnonvolatile and higher I/O ratios of Σ8PAHsemivolatile (p<0.001) compared to the nonheating season. In outdoor air, Σ8PAHnonvolatile was correlated negatively with community-wide ozone concentration (p<0.001). Seasonal changes in emission sources, air exchanges, meteorological conditions and photochemical/chemical degradation reactions are discussed in relationship to the observed seasonal trends.

Characterization and Determination of PM2.5 Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHS) in Indoor and Outdoor Air in Western Sierra Leone

“…Individual PAH concentration in kitchens with wood stoves are significantly elevated than those using charcoal by over an order of magnitude, suggesting further that wood stoves or wood burning devices are big emitter of PAHs, firmly consistent with previous studies [22,27,32]. Studies have shown that PAHs are highest in a similar environment where an indoor source (cooking or space heating or environmental tobacco smoke) dominate [33,34]. The level of PM 2.5 bound ∑ 11 PAHs observed in this study is lower in the kitchen environment than previous studies [22,24,27,32], but higher than the ambient levels measured in Europe and America [33,35]; even though the number of investigated PAHs vary.…”

Variation of Indoor Particulate Matter Concentrations and Association with Indoor/Outdoor Temperature: A Case Study in Rural Limpopo, South Africa

“…Another possible explanation for these levels of PM could be regional biomass burning that occurs during winter and spring [25]. Results obtained in previous studies found that PM in homes increased during cold seasons, when heating is common and ventilation is reduced, because doors and windows are typically closed, thus trapping PM inside [26,27].…”

“…The timing of these peaks is of particular concern because they occur during times when most people, including vulnerable groups, are inside the home. The number of people in a home and activities in the home such as smoking and dust resuspension by cleaning also contribute to higher PM levels [26].…”

Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons in Dust Particles of Moravian-Silesian Region (Czech Republic) in the Winter Season 2013/2014

“…The most important PAHs from exhaust gases of petrol engines are COR, Ind and B[ghi]P [12,13,14]. Emissions from Diesel engines are characterized by PAHs with 3 rings [4,8,11], mostly Fl and Pyr [12,13]. In urban areas the largest part in ΣPAHs consists of emissions from transport [10,15].…”

“…PAHs can enter into atmosphere in two forms: bound to the dust particles as p-PAHs (particulate -PAHs) or in gaseous form as g-PAHs (gas-PAHs) [3]. Percentages of PAHs in gaseous and solid phase depend on vapour pressure of PAHs, temperature, specific surface of particles and affinity of PAHs to the organic particles [1,4]. From the point of view of distribution of PAHs between both phases, characteristics of particles are important (particle size, chemical composition of particles, the content of black carbon, relative humidity of ambient atmosphere [7].…”