American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 31st Annual Conference
October 8-12, 2012
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

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Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Concentration and Related Carcinogenic Potencies in PM10 at a Semi Arid Region of India

AMIT MASIH, Ajay Taneja, St. Andrew's College, Gorakhpur, India

     Abstract Number: 686
     Working Group: Aerosol Exposure

Abstract
Atmospheric particulate matter from four different areas within Agra city (a semi-arid region) were collected using respirable dust samplers during the 2008 summer season and were then extracted with dichloromethane using an automated Soxhlet Extraction System (Soxtherm®). The extracts were analyzed for 17 target Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). The total PAH (TPAH) concentrations were 76.6 ± 3.6, 27.9 ± 2.9, 23.7 ± 2.3 and 6.5 ± 1.7 nanograms per cubic meter (ng m-3), respectively, at the industrial, residential, roadside and agricultural sites. The combined mean concentration of TPAH was 33.9 ± 2.6 ng m-3 for all sites. The industrial site had the highest TPAH concentration followed in order by the residential, roadside and agricultural sites. Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene and benzo(b)fluoranthene were the predominant compounds found in the samples collected from all of the sites. The carcinogenic potencies related to PAHs have been calculated by using Toxic Equivalent Factors (TEFs) compiled from the literature.