Use of Benzo[a]pyrene Relative Abundance Ratios to Assess Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Ambient Atmosphere in the Vicinity of a Söderberg Aluminum Smelter

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of benzo [a]pyrene (B[a]P) relative abundance ratios (RARs) to assess exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the urban atmospheric air in the vicinity of a horizontal stud Söderberg aluminum reduction facility. The B[a]P RARs refer to the concentration of individual PAHs measured in a given sample divided by the concentration of B[a]P found in the same sample. This study compared the B[a]P RARs calculated for the facility stack and three sites near the Söderberg aluminum smelter for three different sampling periods. Interperiod differences were significant for many of the PAHs, and the differences between the stations proved insignificant at p < 0.05. The differences between each individual station and the facility stack were significant for all PAHs. B[a]P RARs increased in value at the stations compared with the stack, indicating that B[a]P may be degraded or removed from the atmosphere at a rate greater than that of the majority of the measured PAHs. It is concluded that B[a]P and B[a]P RARs may be poor markers of exposure to PAHs in the vicinity of this Söderberg aluminum refinery for the entire mixture of PAHs present in the ambient atmosphere.

Benzo[b]fluoranthene, a Potential Alternative to Benzo[a]pyrene as an Indicator of Exposure to Airborne PAHs in the Vicinity of Söderberg Aluminum Smelters

“…B Table 3 14 we concluded that B[a]P is most likely transformed or removed from the atmosphere at a greater rate than are B[b]F and most other PAHs measured, and as such its continued use as an index is placed in question. Furthermore, the transformation of B[a]P is highly influenced by environmental conditions such as sunlight (see Figure 2), and its Table 5 …”

Mosquito coil emissions and health implications.

“…The PM 2.5 filters, after mass concentrations had been determined, were extracted with 150 mL dichloromethane individually for 16 hr at 75°C using a Soxhlet apparatus (Farant and Gariepy 1998;Sanderson and Farant 2000). The extracts were evaporated to near dryness and redissolved in 1 mL acetonitrile (ACN).…”

Estimation of chronic personal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

“…In addition, the estimated infiltration efficiencies for eight PAH (range, 80–90%) in the non-smoking households in Kraków (Choi et al, 2008a; Choi and Spengler, 2014) were higher than those in other geographic locations such as the homes near a smelter in Quebec, Canada (range, 20–50%) (Sanderson and Farant, 2000). …”