Pollution characteristics of ambient PM2.5-bound PAHs and NPAHs in a typical winter time period in Taiyuan

The pollution characteristics of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrated PAHs (NPAHs) in samples collected during a typical winter time period in Taiyuan of China were investigated. The obtained results revealed that the mean mass concentrations of PM2.5, Sigma NPAHs (sum of 16 PAHs) and Sigma NPAHs (sum of 3 NPAHs) on PM2.5 were 161.4 mu g/m(3), 119.8 ng/m(3) and 0.446 ng/m(3), respectively. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs and NPAHs implied that coal consumption might be the main source of the PM2.5 pollution. The measured PM2.5 mass concentrations, BaP equivalent toxicity (28.632 ng/m(3)) and individual carcinogenicity index (3.14 x 10(-5)) were much higher than those of the recommended safety standards. (C) 2014 Chuan Dong and Zong-Wei Cai. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.