The Variability of the Concentrations of PAHs and PCBs in the Urban Air of Dalian with Ambient Temperature by Semipermeable Membrane Devices Monitoring

Abstract

Bioavailable air concentration of 18 indicator and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 16 EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the urban air of Dalian, China were simultaneously measured by semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs). PCB#28, 52, 101, 105 and 118 were the most abundant PCB congeners in Dalian urban air. Phenanthrene, Fluoranthene and Pyrene were the predominat PAH in the air. PCBs were detected with magnitude ranging from non-detectable to 2151 pg SPMD⁻¹. PAHs ranged from non-detectable to 12464 ng SPMD⁻¹. The linear uptake stages of different PCBs and PAHs with SPMD sampling were different. There were much more PCBs during warmer sampling period than colder sampling period, however, there were a reverse results for PAHs. The concentration of some PCBs and PAHs sequestrated by SPMD (C_SPMD) in the air has linear correlation with the reciprocal of the average ambient atmospheric temperature (T). The C_SPMD of PAHs had negative correlation with T, while the C_SPMD of the PCBs had positive correlation with T. The above research results provide basic reference data for the promotion and application of SPMD passive samplers.

Keywords:

• PAHs
• PCBs
• SPMDs
• air
• sampling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20877011); the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Scientific Research Visiting Scholarship.