Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in remote European and Atlantic sites located above the boundary mixing layer
2010
Van Drooge, Barend L. | Fernández Ramón, M. Pilar | Grimalt, Joan O. | Stuchlík, Evzen | Torres García, Carlos J. | Cuevas, Emilio
Background, aim and scope Ambient air concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined at five elevated mountain sites on the European continent and the Atlantic Ocean. All sites can be considered remote background areas since they are situated above the timberline and they lack local emission sources of these compounds. Results and discussion Average gas phase concentrations of ΣPAH were 165, 1,475, 1,553, 1,822 and 4,443 pg m−3 for Tenerife, Pyrenees, Central Norway, Tyrolean Alps and High Tatras, respectively. Particulate phase concentrations were 55, 70, 383, 196 and 708 pg m−3, respectively. The PAH profiles of samples from the different sites are very similar, being typical of PAH mixtures after long-range atmospheric transport. Part of the fluctuations in PAH concentrations are explained by the influence of temperature on the particulate/gas phase partitioning.
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