Particulate-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their Nitro- and Oxy-Derivative Compounds Collected Inside and Outside Occupied Homes in Southern Sweden

Figures & data

Table 1. Sampling characteristics, indoor and outside 15 residences in southern Sweden.

Home^#	Sampling time, days	Sampling place characteristics and comments
H1	7 indoors, 8 outdoors	Single-family house, rural area
H2	7	Apartment, 5th floor, close to busy street
H3	7	Single-family house, semi-urban area
H4	7	Single-family house, semi-urban area
H5	7	Apartment, 1st floor, urban area
H6	8	Apartment, 1st floor, semi-urban area
H7	8	Apartment, 2nd floor, semi-urban area
H8	8	Apartment, 3rd floor, semi-urban area, possible smoking indoors
H9	8	Apartment, 3rd floor, semi-urban area
H10	8	Apartment, 3rd floor, semi-urban area
H11	8	Apartment, 2nd floor, semi-urban area, possible smoking indoors
H12	8	Apartment, 3rd floor, semi-urban area, smoked outside
H13	8	Apartment, 2nd floor, semi-urban area
H14	8	Apartment, 12th floor, semi-urban, parking lot downstairs
H15	8	Apartment, 3rd floor, semi-urban, sometimes barbecuing outside

Figure 1. Concentrations of PM2.5 and polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), parent PAHs, alkylated-PAHs, and nitro- and oxy-PAH derivates inside and just outside 15 residences in southern Sweden. (Note different scales on Y-axis for concentrations indoors and outdoors.)

Table 2. Levels (mean, median and range) of PM2.5 (µg m⁻³) and particulate associated PAC compounds (ng m⁻³) indoor and outdoor 15 residences in southern Sweden.

	Indoor			Outdoor
	Mean	Median	Range	Mean	Median	Range
PM2.5 (µg m^−3)	7.5	5.5	2.1–24	7.3	5.3	3.7–22
2-ring PAHs (ng m^−3)	0.014	NA	LOD–0.059	0.013	NA	LOD–0.10
3-ring PAHs	0.18	0.064	LOD–0.69	0.51	0.11	LOD–3.5
4-ring PAHs	0.23	0.018	0.0020–1.4	1.2	0.25	0.0079–8.6
5-ring PAHs	0.17	0.053	0.0050–0.89	0.72	0.34	0.026–4.5
6-ring PAHs	0.18	0.072	0.0077–0.84	0.47	0.26	0.057–2.6
Benzo(a)pyrene	0.028	0.010	0.00047–0.13	0.16	0.075	0.0040–0.95
SUM PAHs (parent and alkylated)	0.77	0.40	0.015–3.8	2.9	0.90	0.068–19
Alkylated PAHs	0.043	0.012	LOD–0.24	0.22	0.030	LOD–1.6
16 US EPA PAHs	0.72	0.40	0.015–3.6	2.6	0.88	0.068–17
Nitro-PAHs	0.0058	0.0027	LOD–0.028	0.022	0.0076	0.0018–0.11
Oxy-PAHs	0.072	0.019	LOD–0.41	0.41	0.051	0.0072–2.9
SUM PACs	0.88	0.52	0.039–4.2	3.4	1.1	0.078–22

Figure 2. Concentrations (average) of parent PAHs, outdoors and indoors, seven residences, before and after energy renovation, in southern Sweden.

Figure 3. Parent PAHs versus nitro-PAHs, oxy-PAHs, and PM2.5 indoor and just outside 15 residences in southern Sweden.

Figure 4. Outdoor versus indoor concentrations of parent PAHs, nitro-PAHs, oxy-PAHs, and PM2.5, respectively, in 15 residences in southern Sweden.