African Journal of
Environmental Science and Technology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0786
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJEST
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 1126

Full Length Research Paper

Determination of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with airborne particulate matter by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method

Shadung J. Moja*
  • Shadung J. Moja*
  • Department of Environmental Sciences, Florida Campus, University of South Africa, P.O. Box X6, Florida, 1710, South Africa
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Fanyana Mtunzi
  • Fanyana Mtunzi
  • Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa
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Jeremiah S. Mnisi
  • Jeremiah S. Mnisi
  • Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa
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  •  Received: 01 August 2013
  •  Accepted: 27 February 2014
  •  Published: 30 April 2014

Abstract

In this study, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with airborne particulate pollutants of aerodynamic size 10 μm (PM10) were studied for three months, from October to December 2010 in the Vanderbijlpark area. Some PAHs are highly carcinogenic and could be more harmful when combined with inhalable PM10. A dual E-Sampler which combines the light scatter and the gravimetric filter methods was used. A 10 mg/L standard stock solution that contained naphthalene (Naph), 2-methyl naphthalene (2-MNaph), phenanthrene (Phe), anthracene (Anth), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbFl), benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkFl), benzo(a)pyrene (BaPy) and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (DiBahAn) was prepared, compounds were indentified and quantified with an Agilent high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A dichloromethane (DCM) and n-hexane (1:1) extraction mixture was used to extract the pollutants from both exposed and unexposed (blank) filters. Detection limits obtained ranged from 0.001 to 0.0305 mg/L and R-values ranged from 0.996 – 0.999. Very good percentage recoveries were obtained with the lowest 97.63% and highest 101.57% associated with DiBahFl and 2-MNaph, respectively. Total concentration of 2-MNaph obtained per month were 325.2 ng/L (October 2010), 162.4 ng/L (November 2010) and 381.2 ng/L (December 2010). Relatively high levels of 2-MNaph were detected consistently when compared with other pollutants in the three months. Concentration ranges of other PAH compounds were Anth (7.2 - 14.76 ng/L), BbFl (6.7 - 13.6 ng/L), BaPy (6.8 - 13.0 ng/L) and BkFl (6.7 - 10.8 ng/L). Daily and monthly mass concentration levels obtained were lower than the strict regional daily limit of 0.075 µg/m3, as well as national and international daily limits of 0.150 µg/m3. These results could be used as the basis for undertaking a comprehensive study on the status of these organic compounds from the heavily industrialized Vaal Triangle region.

Key words: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), PM10, distribution, concentration, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Vanderbijlpark.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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