Factors influencing the reactivity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons absorbed on filters and ambient POM with ozone

Journal Article · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985 · Chemosphere; (United States)

OSTI ID:5390987

Pitts, Jr, J N; Paur, H R; Zielinska, B; Arey, J; Winer, A M; Ramdahl, T; Mejia, V

Five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), pyrene (PY), fluoranthene (FL), benz(a)anthracene (BaA), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and benzo(e)pyrene (BeP) absorbed on glass fiber (GF) and Teflon impregnated glass fiber TIGF) filters and on ambient particulate organic matter (POM) were exposed to ozone (50-300 ppb) passively in a 360-liter Teflon chamber and actively in a flow system. The influence of ozone concentration, exposure time and relative humidity (RH) on the degree of degradation of these PAH was established. The most reactive PAH both on filters and in ambient POM were PY, BaA and BaP. Up to 50-80% of these PAH degraded in 3-hr exposures to 200 ppb of ozone at approx.1% RH: in a flow system, most of the degradation occurred within the first 10 minutes of exposure. With the exception of BaP, the degradation of the PAH tested on GF and TIGF filters were much lower at 50% RH than at 1% RH, whether they were exposed to ozone in an active or passive mode. Interestingly, RH did not significantly affect the reactivity of PAH present in ambient POM passively exposed to ozone. The results show that PAH are susceptible to ozone degradation under many typical atmospheric conditions.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Riverside
• DOE Contract Number: AA03-76SF00034
• OSTI ID: 5390987
• Journal Information: Chemosphere; (United States), Journal Name: Chemosphere; (United States) Vol. 15:6; ISSN CMSHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ADSORPTION
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
BENZANTHRACENE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DECOMPOSITION
FILTERS
HUMIDITY
HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OZONE
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PYRENE
SORPTION