Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in five East Asian cities: Seasonal characteristics, health risks, and yearly variations. (15th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Lu; Zhang, Lulu; Chen, Lijiang; Han, Chong; Akutagawa, Tomoko; Endo, Osamu; Yamauchi, Masahito; Neroda, Andrey; Toriba, Akira; Tang, Ning
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 287(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-10-15
• Subjects: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- Nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- East Asian cities -- Long-range transportation -- Health risks -- Yearly variations; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117360
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Total suspended particulate matter and fine particulate matter were collected in five East Asian cities (Sapporo, Sagamihara, Kirishima, Shenyang, and Vladivostok) during warm and cold periods from 2017 to 2018. Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and three nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector. The average concentrations of ∑PAHs and ∑NPAHs differed significantly both temporally and spatially and were the lowest in Kirishima during the warm period (∑PAHs: 0.11 ± 0.06 ng m −3 ; ∑NPAHs: 1.23 ± 0.96 pg m −3 ) and the highest in Shenyang during the cold period (∑PAHs: 49.7 ± 21.8 ng m −3 ; ∑NPAHs: 357 ± 180 pg m −3 ). The average total benzo[ a ]pyrene-equivalent concentrations were also higher in Shenyang and Vladivostok than in Japanese cities. According to the results of source apportionment, traffic emissions impacted these cities in both the warm and cold periods, whereas coal combustion-generated effects were obvious in Shenyang and Vladivostok during the cold period. Furthermore, PAHs and NPAHs originating from the Asian continent, including Shenyang and Vladivostok, exerted some influence on Japanese cities, especially in the cold period. Compared to Japanese cities and Vladivostok, yearly variations in ∑PAHs and 1-nitropyrene in Shenyang showed that their concentrations were considerably lower than those reported in past studies, indicating the positive effects of air pollutant control policies in China. These results not only describe the current characteristics and yearly variations of PAHs and NPAHs in typical urban cities in East Asia but also, more importantly, reveal that the effects of the East Asian monsoon play an important role in the analysis of atmospheric behaviours of PAHs and NPAHs. Furthermore, this study supports the role of multinational cooperation to promote air pollution control in East Asia. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: PM samples were collected in five East Asian cities during warm and cold periods. PAHs and NPAHs differed from several to hundreds of times in temporal and spatial. The PAHs and 1-NP concentrations were compared to our previous data in each city. Traffic emission largely affected throughout the periods compared to coal burning. Air masses originating from China exerted some influence on neighbouring areas. Abstract : This study provides new data on the atmospheric circulation of PAHs and NPAHs in East Asian areas, which play a role in the promotion of environmental protection cooperation among countries.