Source apportionment of atmospheric PAHs in the Western Balkans by natural abundance radiocarbon analysis
- Stockholm University, Stockholm (Sweden). Department of Applied Environmental Science
Progress in source apportionment of priority combustion-derived atmospheric pollutants can be made by an inverse approach to inventory emissions, namely, receptor-based compound class-specific radiocarbon analysis (CCSRA) of target pollutants. In the present study, CCSRA of the combustion-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in the atmosphere of the countries of the former republic of Yugoslavia was performed. The carbon stable isotope composition ({delta}{sup 13}C) of PAHs varied between -27.68 and -27.19{per_thousand}, whereas {Delta}{sup 14}C values ranged from -568{per_thousand} for PAHs sampled in Kosovo to -288{per_thousand} for PAHs sampled in the Sarajevo area. The application of an isotopic mass balance model to these {Delta}{sup 14}C data revealed a significant contribution (35-65%) from the combustion of non-fossil material to the atmospheric PAH pollution, even in urban and industrialized areas. Furthermore, consistency was observed between the isotopic composition of PAHs obtained by high-volume sampling and those collected by passive sampling. This encourages the use of passive samplers for CCSRA applications. This marks the first time that a CCSRA investigation could be executed on a geographically wide scale, providing a quantitative field-based source apportionment, which points out that also non-fossil combustion processes should be targeted for remedial action. 36 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 20905977
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 41; ISSN ESTHAG; ISSN 0013-936X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
09 BIOMASS FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
AIR SAMPLERS
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
CARBON 13
CARBON 14
COAL
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
CROATIA
FIRES
FORESTS
FOSSIL FUELS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
ISOTOPE RATIO
PEAT
PETROLEUM
POLLUTION SOURCES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
RURAL AREAS
SAMPLING
SERBIA
URBAN AREAS
WOOD