Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
Volume 24, Issue 5, Pages 4741-4754Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-8111-1
Keywords
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Biomass burning; Air pollution; Molecular signatures; Source apportionment; Diffusive sampling
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Funding
- Department for Territory of Lazio Region within SELVA Project
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The environmental influence of biomass burning for civil uses was investigated through the determination of several air toxicants in the town of Leonessa and its surroundings, in the mountain region of central Italy. Attention was focussed on PM10, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and regulated gaseous pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, ozone and benzene). Two in-field campaigns were carried out during the summer 2012 and the winter 2013. Contemporarily, air quality was monitored in Rome and other localities of Lazio region. In the summer, all pollutants, with the exception of ozone, were more abundant in Rome. On the other hand, in the winter, PAH concentration was higher in Leonessa (15.8 vs. 7.0 ng/m(3)), while PM10 was less concentrated (22 vs. 34 mu g/m(3)). Due to lack of other important sources and to limited impact of vehicle traffic, biomass burning was identified as the major PAH source in Leonessa during the winter. This hypothesis was confirmed by PAH molecular signature of PM10 (i.e. concentration diagnostic ratios and 206 ion mass trace in the chromatograms). A similar phenomenon (i.e. airborne particulate levels similar to those of the capital city but higher PAH loads) was observed in other locations of the province, suggesting that uncontrolled biomass burning contributed to pollution across the Rome metropolitan area.
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