Abstract:
Objective To analyze the pollution characteristics and primarily identify the sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Fengtai District, Beijing, China.
Methods Sixteen PM2.5-bound PAHs were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography in atmospheric PM2.5 samples collected monthly in a community of Fengtai District from January 2015 to December 2020. The pollution characteristics of PM2.5-bound PAHs were analysed for different seasons and monitoring periods. Characteristic ratios were used for preliminary identification of the pollution sources of PM2.5-bound PAHs.
Results The median values of atmospheric PM2.5 and 16 PM2.5-bound PAHs (ΣPAHs) were 86 μg/m3and 10.70 ng/m3, respectively. Seasonal variations of the concentrations of PM2.5-bound PAHs followed the order of winter>(autumn and spring)>summer. The concentrations of PM2.5-bound PAHs were significantly higher during the heating period than during the non-heating period. Fluoranthene accounted for the highest proportion in PM2.5-bound PAHs, followed by benzobfluoranthene, Benzog, h, iperylene, chrysene, and benzoapyrene. PAHs with four rings had the highest proportion (36.81%). The concentrations of PAHs with four or more rings were higher in the heating period than in the non-heating period. The mean values of five characteristic ratios, i.e., (three-rings+four-rings)/(five-rings+six-rings), BaP/BghiP, Flu/(Flu+Pyr), IP/(IP+BghiP), and BaA/(BaA+Chr), were 2.11, 2.17, 0.61, 0.43, and 0.39, respectively. These characteristic ratios indicated that the pollution of PAHs primarily originated from local sources, and that coal/biomass combustion and traffic emission were the main sources of PM2.5-bound PAHs in Fengtai District.
Conclusion PM2.5-bound PAHs showed obvious seasonal variations in Fengtai District from 2015 to 2020; the concentrations of PM2.5-bound PAHs were significantly higher in the heating period than in the non-heating period. Coal/biomass combustion and traffic emission were the main sources of PM2.5-bound PAHs in Fengtai District.