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Variation in Polycyclic Aromatic Compound (PAC) Concentrations in a Norway Spruce Stand Close to a Major Traffic Route—Influence of Distance and Season

Klingberg, Jenny ; Strandberg, Bo LU ; Grundström, Maria ; Sjöman, Henrik ; Wallin, Göran and Pleijel, Håkan LU (2023) In Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 234(9).
Abstract

Air concentrations of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were measured in a Norway spruce (Picea abies) stand at four different distances from a major traffic route near Gothenburg, Sweden, during summer and winter 2019, using passive samplers. In total, the concentrations of 32 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and six dibenzothiophenes (DBTs) and NO2 were analysed. PAC air concentrations were on average 2.5 times higher during the winter compared to the summer. All investigated PAH categories and compounds as well as dibenzothiophene declined linearly with the logarithmic distance from the traffic route. This indicates that the length of pollutant pathways through vegetation is a valid proxy to assess health risks... (More)

Air concentrations of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were measured in a Norway spruce (Picea abies) stand at four different distances from a major traffic route near Gothenburg, Sweden, during summer and winter 2019, using passive samplers. In total, the concentrations of 32 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and six dibenzothiophenes (DBTs) and NO2 were analysed. PAC air concentrations were on average 2.5 times higher during the winter compared to the summer. All investigated PAH categories and compounds as well as dibenzothiophene declined linearly with the logarithmic distance from the traffic route. This indicates that the length of pollutant pathways through vegetation is a valid proxy to assess health risks of traffic-related PAC pollutants. Concentrations of heavier PAHs declined faster (concentration at site furthest away from the road was 6% and 33% of concentration at site closest to road, for summer and winter respectively) with increasing distance from traffic compared to lighter PAHs (63% and 68% for summer and winter respectively). As a result, the mix of PAHs changed with the depth into the forest stand (i.e. distance from the road) with potential effects on the toxicity as well as on diagnostic ratios used for source attribution. This is likely caused by different deposition rates among the PAH compounds to the vegetation surfaces, although the exact mechanism needs to be further investigated. This study provides new information that can improve air quality risk assessment and limit the exposure of the population to toxic air pollutants such as PACs.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
DBTs, NO, PAHs, Passive air samplers, Road, Traffic-related air pollution
in
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution
volume
234
issue
9
article number
563
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85168439371
ISSN
0049-6979
DOI
10.1007/s11270-023-06520-4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e373fd94-d069-448e-a2a2-b23b91c258dd
date added to LUP
2023-10-27 16:17:04
date last changed
2023-11-07 15:45:35
@article{e373fd94-d069-448e-a2a2-b23b91c258dd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Air concentrations of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were measured in a Norway spruce (Picea abies) stand at four different distances from a major traffic route near Gothenburg, Sweden, during summer and winter 2019, using passive samplers. In total, the concentrations of 32 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and six dibenzothiophenes (DBTs) and NO<sub>2</sub> were analysed. PAC air concentrations were on average 2.5 times higher during the winter compared to the summer. All investigated PAH categories and compounds as well as dibenzothiophene declined linearly with the logarithmic distance from the traffic route. This indicates that the length of pollutant pathways through vegetation is a valid proxy to assess health risks of traffic-related PAC pollutants. Concentrations of heavier PAHs declined faster (concentration at site furthest away from the road was 6% and 33% of concentration at site closest to road, for summer and winter respectively) with increasing distance from traffic compared to lighter PAHs (63% and 68% for summer and winter respectively). As a result, the mix of PAHs changed with the depth into the forest stand (i.e. distance from the road) with potential effects on the toxicity as well as on diagnostic ratios used for source attribution. This is likely caused by different deposition rates among the PAH compounds to the vegetation surfaces, although the exact mechanism needs to be further investigated. This study provides new information that can improve air quality risk assessment and limit the exposure of the population to toxic air pollutants such as PACs.</p>}},
  author       = {{Klingberg, Jenny and Strandberg, Bo and Grundström, Maria and Sjöman, Henrik and Wallin, Göran and Pleijel, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{0049-6979}},
  keywords     = {{DBTs; NO; PAHs; Passive air samplers; Road; Traffic-related air pollution}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Water, Air, and Soil Pollution}},
  title        = {{Variation in Polycyclic Aromatic Compound (PAC) Concentrations in a Norway Spruce Stand Close to a Major Traffic Route—Influence of Distance and Season}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11270-023-06520-4}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s11270-023-06520-4}},
  volume       = {{234}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}