A Comparison of Particulate-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Long-Range Transported from the Asian Continent to the Noto Peninsula and Fukue Island, Japan

This is the first comparative study to examine two different background monitoring sites in Japan to compare differences in the concentration and composition of long-range-transported polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the Asian continent. This study chose the Noto Peninsula (the Kanazawa University Wajima Air Monitoring Station; WAMS) and Fukue Island (the Fukue-jima Atmosphere and Aerosol Monitoring Station; FAMS) to compare 10 weekly periods in 2009 and 2010 from autumn to spring, seasons that are strongly influenced by the Asian continent. The PAHs concentration differed significantly for most periods at these two sites. The backward trajectory analysis found that the low height of the air mass may cause the low concentration and the similar air mass condition could result in the similar concentration. The concentration of long-range-transported PAHs depended more on the source of the coal combustion areas such as Northeast China in heating period.