Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in F-15J, C-130H, and F-4EJ Aircraft Exhaust

Abstract

There are occupational health concerns at Japan Air Self-Defense Force bases in regard to the exposure of military flightline personnel to carcinogens in aircraft emissions, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To characterize the PAHs in military aircraft emissions from different types of engines, aerosol and gas samples were separately collected downwind from aircraft with a turboprop engine (C-130H), turbojet (F-4EJ), and turbofan (F-15J). The gas-phase PAHs were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and the aerosol-phase PAHs were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The F-4EJ engine was a source of naphthalene vapor and aerosol PAHs, including carcinogens such as chrysene, benzo (b) fluoranthene, benzo (k) fluoranthene, benzo (a) pyrene, dibenzo (a,h) anthracene, benzo (ghi) perylene, and indeno (1,2,3-cd) pyrene. These heavier (five and six-ring) PAHs were also included in the emissions from the F-15J with its newer, high-temperature F-100 turbofan engine, but the concentrations were approximately one-tenth of those in the F-4EJ. In contrast to these fighter aircraft, the C-130H was found to be a significant aerosol source of the lighter, three-ring (phenanthrene and anthracene) and four-ring (fluoranthene and pyrene) PAHs, but not the heavier ones. These results demonstrate that various aircraft are sources of PAHs in the military flightline environment.

Key Words:

• engine exhaust
• flightline personnel
• gas chromatography mass spectrometry
• high-performance liquid chromatography
• JP-4 fuel
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Pacific Edit for reviewing the manuscript prior to submission.