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Volatile hazardous hydrocarbons in road tunnels, cars and smoky rooms

Abstract

Hazardous volatile hydrocarbons were determined in selected urban environments where many people are exposed to high concentration levels. Quantitative proportions of C{sub 2}-C{sub 8} alkenes, alkadienes, alkynes, alkanes and arenes were determined for air polluted by vehicle exhaust or tobacco smoke. Samples were taken on adsorbent cartridges and analyzed by gas chromatography after thermal desorption and cryofocusing. The concentrations of total non-methane hydrocarbons in the Tingstad Tunnel in Gothenburg were found to be 800-4000 {mu}g/m{sup 3}. These concentration levels are several times higher than those in a car in urban traffic. The high concentrations of benzene, ethene, and 1.3-butadiene, representing particular health hazards, are disquieting with regard to the present knowledge of the toxicity of these hydrocarbons. Current plans for new long road tunnels may be questioned with regard to the resulting increased exposure of motorist and passengers to air pollutants. Many volatile hydrocarbons found in environmental tobacco smoke are also present in vehicle exhaust in similar proportions. Urban air polluted by petrol-fuelled vehicles differs mainly by much lower proportions of isoprene and much higher proportions of petrol alkanes and alkylbenzenes. The total concentration of C{sub 2}-C{sub 8} hydrocarbons was found to be similar in a smoky room and inside  More>>
Authors:
Publication Date:
Dec 31, 1993
Product Type:
Thesis/Dissertation
Report Number:
NEI-SE-128
Reference Number:
SCA: 540120; PA: SWD-93:007439; EDB-94:021182; NTS-94:008798; ERA-19:007414; SN: 94001129765
Resource Relation:
Other Information: TH: Thesis (FL); PBD: 1993
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; INDOOR AIR POLLUTION; HYDROCARBONS; AUTOMOBILES; TUNNELS; VOLATILE MATTER; AEROSOL MONITORING; EXHAUST GASES; ROAD TRANSPORT; URBAN AREAS; TOBACCO SMOKES; ETHYLENE; BUTADIENE; BENZENE; GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY; HEALTH HAZARDS; AIR QUALITY; 540120; CHEMICALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
OSTI ID:
10117165
Research Organizations:
Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Gothenburg (Sweden). Dept. of Chemical Environmental Science
Country of Origin:
Sweden
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE94730407; TRN: SE9307439
Availability:
OSTI; NTIS; Available from: Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Dept. of Chemical Environmental Science, S-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
Submitting Site:
SWD
Size:
20 p.
Announcement Date:
Jun 30, 2005

Citation Formats

Barrefors, G. Volatile hazardous hydrocarbons in road tunnels, cars and smoky rooms. Sweden: N. p., 1993. Web.
Barrefors, G. Volatile hazardous hydrocarbons in road tunnels, cars and smoky rooms. Sweden.
Barrefors, G. 1993. "Volatile hazardous hydrocarbons in road tunnels, cars and smoky rooms." Sweden.
@misc{etde_10117165,
title = {Volatile hazardous hydrocarbons in road tunnels, cars and smoky rooms}
author = {Barrefors, G}
abstractNote = {Hazardous volatile hydrocarbons were determined in selected urban environments where many people are exposed to high concentration levels. Quantitative proportions of C{sub 2}-C{sub 8} alkenes, alkadienes, alkynes, alkanes and arenes were determined for air polluted by vehicle exhaust or tobacco smoke. Samples were taken on adsorbent cartridges and analyzed by gas chromatography after thermal desorption and cryofocusing. The concentrations of total non-methane hydrocarbons in the Tingstad Tunnel in Gothenburg were found to be 800-4000 {mu}g/m{sup 3}. These concentration levels are several times higher than those in a car in urban traffic. The high concentrations of benzene, ethene, and 1.3-butadiene, representing particular health hazards, are disquieting with regard to the present knowledge of the toxicity of these hydrocarbons. Current plans for new long road tunnels may be questioned with regard to the resulting increased exposure of motorist and passengers to air pollutants. Many volatile hydrocarbons found in environmental tobacco smoke are also present in vehicle exhaust in similar proportions. Urban air polluted by petrol-fuelled vehicles differs mainly by much lower proportions of isoprene and much higher proportions of petrol alkanes and alkylbenzenes. The total concentration of C{sub 2}-C{sub 8} hydrocarbons was found to be similar in a smoky room and inside a car in urban traffic. 28 refs, 1 fig, 1 tab}
place = {Sweden}
year = {1993}
month = {Dec}
}