BTEX concentration levels in urban air in the area of the Tri-City agglomeration (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot), Poland

The paper presents and discusses the results of atmospheric air quality research conducted in 2012 with reference to the level of BTEX compounds in the Tri-City agglomeration-Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot (northern Poland). At the stage of BTEX sampling from the ambient air, RadielloA (R) diffusive passive samplers were applied. The annual time-weighted average concentrations for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in the Tri-City agglomeration were as follows: Gdansk-0.75 A +/- 0.67 mu g/m(3), 1.08 A +/- 0.43 mu g/m(3), 0.30 A +/- 0.12 mu g/m(3), 1.34 A +/- 0.52 mu g/m(3); Gdynia-0.66 A +/- 0.51 mu g/m(3), 0.88 A +/- 0.40 mu g/m(3), 0.24 A +/- 0.12 mu g/m(3), 1.15 A +/- 0.53 mu g/m(3); Sopot-0.63 A +/- 0.55 mu g/m(3), 0.84 A +/- 0.37 mu g/m(3), 0.13 A +/- 0.05 mu g/m(3), 0.67 A +/- 0.23 mu g/m(3). The values of the B:T:E:X inter-species concentration ratio and the toluene/benzene, (m, p)-xylene/benzene, o-xylene/benzene, (m, p)-xylene/ethylbenzene concentration ratio were also determined. Based on the results obtained, one can conclude that the main sources of emissions into the atmospheric air, regarding BTEX compounds in the Tri-City agglomeration, especially the Gdansk and Gdynia areas are motor vehicles powered by internal combustion engines and domestic heating systems characterized by low efficiency.