Source Apportionment of Urban Particulate Aliphatic and Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Using Multivariate Methods

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 35; no. 11; pp. 2288 - 2294
• Main Authors: Kavouras, Ilias G, Koutrakis, Petros, Tsapakis, Manolis, Lagoudaki, Evaggelia, Stephanou, Euripides G, Von Baer, Dietrich, Oyola, Pedro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01-06-2001
• Subjects: Aerosols; Air Pollutants - analysis; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Chromatography; Cities; Exact sciences and technology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Hydrocarbons; Hydrocarbons - analysis; Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Multivariate Analysis; Outdoor air quality; Particle Size; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Scientific imaging; South America; Chile; America; Chile, Santiago; Cluster analysis; Chemical analysis; Factor analysis; Statistical analysis; Hydrocarbon; Aliphatic compound; Urban area; Regression analysis; Multivariate analysis; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Multiple regression; Suspended particle; Aerosols; Pollution source inventory; Air pollution
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es001540z

Samples of organic aerosol were collected in Santiago de Chile. An activated-charcoal diffusion denuder was used to strip out organic vapors prior to particle collection. Both polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aliphatic hydrocarbons were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Organic particle sources were resolved using both concentration diagnostic ratios and multivariate methods such as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and factor analysis (FA). Four factors were identified based on the loadings of PAHs and n-alkanes and were attributed to the following sources:  (1) high-temperature combustion of fuels; (2) fugitive emissions from oil residues; (3) biogenic sources; and (4) unburned fuels. Multilinear regression (MLR) analysis was used to determine emission profiles and contributions of the sources. The reconstructed concentra tions of particle phase aliphatic and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons were in good agreement (R2 > 0.70) with those measured in Santiago de Chile.