Analytical Sciences

Determination of Particle-associated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Urban Air of Beijing by GC/MS

Li-Bin LIU,* Yuki HASHI,*^,** Min LIU,* Yanlin WEI,* and Jin-Ming LIN*

*State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China
**Shimadzu (Hong Kong) Limited, Beijing Office, Analytical Applications Center 14F No. 16, Chao Yang Men Wai Street, Life Tower Chao Yang District, Beijing 100020, China

Particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) collected in urban air of Beijing were studied using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC/MS). The average concentration of particle-associated PAHs measured in this work was in the range from 28.53 to 362.15 ng/m³, which suggested a serious pollution level of PAHs in Beijing. The results also showed that the concentration of PAHs in the winter was distinctly higher than that in summer and spring. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and benzo(a)pyrene-equivalent carcinogenic power (BaPE) were adopted to evaluate the PAHs pollution state at the sampling site. Through some diagnostic ratios, it can be concluded that traffic exhaust, especially vehicles with diesel engines, and domestic coal-burning heaters might have a prominent contribution to the PAHs concentration.

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