ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Influence of Traffic on Particulate-Matter
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
in Urban Atmosphere of Zabrze, Poland
K. Ćwiklak1, J. S. Pastuszka2, W. Rogula-Kozłowska1,2
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1Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, M.Skłodowska-Curie 34, 41-890 Zabrze, Poland
2Division of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Department of Air Protection, Silesian University of Technology,
Akademicka 2, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2009;18(4):579-585
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of traffic-origin, adsorbed on PM10 and PM2.5
particulate matter in Zabrze, Upper Silesia, Poland, is investigated for summer 2005. Exposure levels for the
particulate PAHs near the crossroads is about 66 ng/m3 and 44 ng/m3 for PM10 and PM2.5, respectively. The
relative concentration increase of these compounds in road intersections compared to the concentration away
from traffic emissions is equal to 189% and 237% for PAHs associated with PM10 and PM2.5, respectively.
The fingerprint of PAHs contained in PM2.5 is distinctly different near the crossroads compared to the urban
background site, while the fingerprints of PAHs contained in PM10 at both sites are almost the same.