Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

QUANTIFICATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDRO- CARBONS IN SIZE FRACTIONATED AMBIENT AEROSOL AND THEIR SOURCE IDENTIFICATION USING WIND PROFILE DATA

H.S. SANTOSH N. NANDINI G.G. PANDIT AND SUMAN SHARMA

Abstract

Quantitative study of fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been determined using reversed phase High performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet detector in size fractionated (>PMio, PM,,„ PM2.5) ambient aerosol at Tombay, India. This method is based on liquid-liquid extraction using hexane as a suitable solvent. The meteorological data was monitored using wind monitoring instrument on hourly basis during sample collection. Polar graphs for wind direction were plotted by dividing the whole area into sixteen sectors by giving an interval of 22.5° where 0° refers to North direction. The range of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was found to be 0.08-6.8 ng/m in >PMioand 4.25- 24.34 rig/ms in PK() respectively. The estimated results of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in size fractionated samples indicate that the more concentration was associated with smaller particulate. Naphthalene was the predominant compound obtained which was contributing around 60% of the total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. For the study of source identification, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations were correlated with respect to wind direction. The results showed that the Naphthalene concentration was more predominant when the wind direction was from South-South-West and South-West direction, where the refineries, thermal power plant and other petrochemical industries are situated in that direction. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound Benzo(a) pyrene is a emission source for vehicular exhaust which was predominantly found when the wind direction was from North- North-East and North-East direction, where the Mumbai-Pune highway and Harbor railway is situated. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations were found to be very low when the wind direction was between East to South Direction where the Arabian Sea is situated.