Chemical characterization and source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aerosols originating from different sources

To obtain the characteristic factors or signatures of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to help identify the sources of particulate PAHs in the atmosphere, different carbonaceous aerosols were generated by burning different fossil fuels and biomass under different conditions in the laboratory, and the chemical characteristics of 14 PAHs were studied in detail. The results showed that (1) carbonaceous aerosols derived from domestic burning of coal, diesel fuel, and gasoline have much higher concentrations of PAHs than those derived from domestic burning of biomass; (2) carbonaceous aerosols derived from domestic burning of diesel fuel/gasoline have similar PAH components as those derived from high-temperature combustion of diesel fuel/gasoline, although the former have much higher concentrations of PAHs than the latter, suggesting that the burning temperature obviously affects the emitting amount of particulate PAHs, but only slightly influences the PAHs components; and (3) the ratios of benzob]fluoranthene/acenaphthylene, benzob]fluoranthene/fluorene, dibenzoa,h]anthracene/acenaphthylene, dibenzoa,h]anthracene/fluorine, and benzob]fluoranthene/benzok]fluoranthene in carbonaceous aerosols are sensitively dependent on their sources, indicating that these ratios are suitable for use as characteristic factors or signatures of particulate PAHs in the atmosphere.