Abstract. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are not declining
in Arctic air despite reductions in their global emissions. In Svalbard, the
Longyearbyen coal-fired power plant is considered to be one of the major
local sources of PAHs. Power plant stack emissions and ambient air samples,
collected simultaneously at 1 km (UNIS) and 6 km (Adventdalen) transect
distance, were analysed (gaseous and particulate phases separately) for 22
nitro-PAHs, 8 oxy-PAHs, and 16 parent PAHs by gas chromatography in combination
with single quadrupole electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry (GC-ECNI-MS)
and gas chromatography in combination with triple quadrupole electron
ionization mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS/MS).
Results confirm low levels of PAH emissions
(∑16 PAHs =1.5 µg kg−1 coal) from the power plant. Phenanthrene, 9,10-anthraquinone,
9-fluorenone, fluorene, fluoranthene, and pyrene accounted for 85 % of
the plant emission (not including naphthalene). A dilution effect was
observed for the transect ambient air samples: 1.26±0.16 and 0.63±0.14 ng m−3 were the sum of all 47 PAH derivatives for UNIS and
Adventdalen, respectively. The PAH profile was homogeneous for these
recipient stations with phenanthrene and 9-fluorenone being most abundant.
Multivariate statistical analysis confirmed coal combustion and vehicle and
marine traffic as the predominant sources of PAHs. Secondary atmospheric
formation of 9-nitroanthracene and 2+3-nitrofluoranthene was evaluated and
concluded. PAHs partitioning between gaseous and particulate phases showed a
strong dependence on ambient temperatures and humidity. The present study
contributes important data which can be utilized to eliminate uncertainties
in model predictions that aim to assess the extent and impacts of Arctic
atmospheric contaminants.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and oxy- and nitro-PAHs in ambient air of the Arctic town Longyearbyen, Svalbard
