The Application of Active Biomonitoring with the Use of Mosses to Identify Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an Atmospheric Aerosol

The use of biological indicators of environmental quality is an alternative method of monitoring ecosystem pollution. Various groups of contaminants, including organic ones, can be measured in environmental samples. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have not yet been determined by the moss bag technique. This technique uses several moss species simultaneously in urban areas to select the best biomonitoring of these compounds, which are dangerous to humans and the environment. In this research, a gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used for the determination of selected PAHs in three species of mosses: Pleurozium schreberi, Sphagnum fallax and Dicranum polysetum (active biomonitoring) and for comparison using an air filter reference method for atmospheric aerosol monitoring. The chlorophyll fluorescence of photosystem II (PSII) was also measured to assess changes in moss viability during the study. As a result of the study, the selective accumulation of selected PAHs by mosses was found, with Pleurozium schreberi being the best bioindicator—9 out of 13 PAHs compounds were determined in this species. The photosynthetic yield of photosystem (II) decreased by 81% during the exposure time. The relationship between PAHs concentrations in mosses and the total suspended particles (TSP) on the filter indicated the possibility of using this bioindicator to trace PAHs in urban areas and to apply the moss bag technique as a method supporting classical instrumental air monitoring.

Download Full-text

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in Atmospheric Particles (PM2.5 and PM2.5–10): Integrated Evaluation of the Environmental Scenario in Urban Areas

Water Air & Soil Pollution ◽

10.1007/s11270-020-04967-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 232 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alessa Maria Ceratti ◽

Gustavo Marques da Costa ◽

Darlan Daniel Alves ◽

Laura Meneguzzi Cansi ◽

Jessica Hansen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Atmospheric Particles ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic

Download Full-text

Diet, exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during pregnancy, and fetal growth: A comparative study of mothers and their fetuses in industrial and urban areas in Southwest Iran

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116668 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 276 ◽

pp. 116668

Author(s):

Atefeh Khalili Doroodzani ◽

Sina Dobaradaran ◽

Razegheh Akhbarizadeh ◽

Alireza Raeisi ◽

Elham Rahmani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Comparative Study ◽

Fetal Growth ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

Southwest Iran ◽

Diet Exposure

Download Full-text

Monitoring of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Bees (Apis mellifera) and Honey in Urban Areas and Wildlife Reserves

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry ◽

10.1021/jf9011054 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 57 (16) ◽

pp. 7440-7444 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Monia Perugini ◽

Gabriella Di Serafino ◽

Alessandra Giacomelli ◽

Piotr Medrzycki ◽

Anna Gloria Sabatini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Apis Mellifera ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic

Download Full-text

Optimization of a Low Volume Extraction Method to Determine Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Aerosol Samples

Frontiers in Environmental Science ◽

10.3389/fenvs.2021.742251 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Caroline Scaramboni ◽

Jordan Brizi Neris ◽

Rita de Kássia Silva do Nascimento ◽

Natasha Leandra Chiaranda da Rosa ◽

Jonatas Schadeck Carvalho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Extraction Method ◽

Reference Method ◽

Atmospheric Particulate Matter ◽

Component Mixture ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

Low Volume ◽

Optimized Conditions

This work describes the optimization of an extraction method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their nitro- and oxy-PAH derivatives in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) samples, and demonstrates that this method is also effective for the determination of levoglucosan. The optimization of the extraction solvents was performed using a three-component mixture design with the solvents dichloromethane, methanol, and acetonitrile. The number of extractions, volume of solvent, and duration of extraction in an ultrasonic bath were optimized using a full factorial design followed by a central composite design. The analyses were performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The optimized conditions of the method were three extractions using 4.0 ml of acetonitrile, with ultrasonication for 34 min. The proposed method presented good linearity (r > 0.990) and acceptable precision for low (100 ng ml−1, RSD: 1–16%), medium (300 ng ml−1, RSD: 1–19%), and high (500 ng ml−1, RSD: 2–16%) concentrations of PAHs. The limits of quantification for different PAHs ranged from 10 to 50 ng ml−1, which were suitable for atmospheric PM. Assessment of the method using sample matrix spiking/recovery assays, as well as use of a reference method, showed good recoveries for levoglucosan and for most of the PAHs and their derivatives, except for the most volatile compounds, which were lost during the evaporation of the solvent. The results for PM samples extracted by the optimized method and the reference method were in good agreement. The proposed method required 97% less solvent than the reference method, shortened the analysis time by 85%, and proved to be accurate and precise for the determination of at least 27 PAHs and their derivatives present in PM samples collected with a low-volume sampler.

Download Full-text