Passive sampling of high production volume chemicals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban atmospheres near petrochemical sites: Uptake rate determination and application.

ABSTRACT

This study describes the use of passive sampling followed by pressurised liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for monitoring high production volume chemicals (HPVCs), such as benzothiazoles, benzesulfonamides, phthalate esters (PAEs), organophosphate esters, ultraviolet stabilizers, and phenolic antioxidants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban atmospheres close to a petrochemical area. To obtain accurate results when applying passive sampling, the uptake rates of each target compound for the sampling time applied must be known. Firstly, passive sampling was calibrated for two months and uptake rates of HPVCs and PAHs in an urban atmosphere determined using active sampling as the reference method. The obtained results showed experimental diffusive uptake rates between 1.6 m3 day-1 and 27 m3 day-1 for 32 of the target compounds that will allow enable cost-effective long-term monitoring campaigns of HPVCs to be performed. Secondly, the experimentally obtained uptake rates were used to monitor the concentrations of HPVCs and PAHs at six urban sampling sites close to the two petrochemicals parks in Tarragona (Spain) during a period the two months. Regardless of the sampling campaign, PAEs and PAHs were the families of compounds found at the highest concentration levels, with a sum of their mean values of 23 ng m-3 and 20 ng m-3, respectively.