Annual variation of total suspended particulate and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the tropical city of Niterói, RJ, Brazil

This paper reports the determination of twelve polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in total suspended particulate (TSP) collected in Niterói City, RJ, Brazil. Bimonthly 24 h TSP samples were collected between June/2005 and May/2006 in the Campus of Federal Fluminense University that is located in a mixed residential and commercial neighbourhood in Niterói City Center, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. A high volume sampler and glass fibber filters were used to TSP sampling. A mean TSP concentration of 87 µg m-3 was found. PAHs were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection following ultrasonic extraction. Limits of detection and of quantification were sufficiently low to accomplish PAH determination in the observed concentration ranges. Good PAH recoveries were obtained by analysis of SRM 1649a (NIST, USA). Phenanthrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and benzo[ghi]perylene were the predominating PAHs. Individual PAH concentrations varied between 0.001 (anthracene) and 0.357 (phenanthrene) ng m-3. Total PAH concentrations varied between 0.141 and 1.235 ng m-3. Individual and total PAH concentrations were not correlated with temperature, relative humidity or wind velocity. The ratios fluoranthene/(fluoranthene + pyrene) and benzo[ghi]perylene/indene[1,2,3-cd]pyrene indicated the main source of PAHs in the studied area was vehicular emission.