NITRATED-PAH IN URBAN AIR OF ITALY AS INDICATORS OF MOTOR VEHICLE EMISSION AND LIGHT-INDUCED REACTIONS

Abstract

The presence of particle-bound nitrated PAH (NPAH) in the atmosphere has been observed in urban areas of Italy. Milan appeared to be the most polluted city. Sites of different nature were investigated in Rome and its outskirts. Particle-bound NPAH were modulated not only in concentration, but also in the relative content of homologues, according to emission and in-situ generation mechanisms influencing the site. Despite that, direct release from motor vehicles was found less important than degradation of PAH with respect to the presence of NPAH in the atmosphere. Concentrations of NPAH seemed to be capable to affect ambient air quality, due to strong mutagenicity of selected congeners.

Keywords:

• Atmospheric aerosols
• Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
• Nitrated-PAH (NPAH)
• Ambient pollution
• Human health

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper is written in honour of Prof. Arnaldo Liberti. He introduced us to Analytical Chemistry at the Universitá La Sapienza of Rome and, as Director of Atmospheric Pollution Institute of CNR, introduced us to the air pollution and atmospheric chemistry researches; in particular, he promoted our studies on PAH and NPAH since 1986.