ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) AROUND TWO METROPOLITAN AREAS IN SRI LANKA USING MOSS AS A BIOMONITORK. G. JAYALATH, M. P. DEEYAMULLA AND R. C. L. DE SILVAAbstract Concentration of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in moss species Hyophila involuta in two metropolitan areas; Sapugaskanda oil refinery and Kelanitissa power plant were compared with baseline concentrations of PAHs in the moss collected from Sinharaja rainforest. Monthly sampling was done throughout a year from March 2013 to February 2014 and concentration of 16 PAHs was analysed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The background level concentration of PAHs in moss is not at detectable or quantification levels and the total PAH concentrations in the Sapugaskanda oil refinery were in the range of 247â4,062 mg kg-1 whereas Kelanitissa power plant were 522â1,195 mg kg-1 by weight basis. The percentages of atmospheric deposition of low molecular weight (2 or 3 fused rings) PAHs in moss was significantly higher than high molecular weight (more than 3 fused rings) PAHs in moss around both sampling locations. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), which is the indicator of carcinogenicity was detectable in the Sapugaskanda oil refinery and the Kelanitissa power plant with an average of 2.6 (±1.9) and 2.1 (±1.0) mg kg-1 respectively. |