Analysis on the PAH level and source profile characteristics in the air and particulate of a coke plant

Objective To provide actual data for establishing relative occupational health criteria through a pilot study pre-senting the exposure level and emission profile of 16 kinds of PAH in particulates and the air of worksite environment.Methods The samples of particulates and the air from Guangzhou coke oven factory were collected and the level of 16 kinds of PAH were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrum (GC/MS) methods.The emission profile and constitution characteristics of above 16 kinds of pollutants,especially the strongest carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene (BaP),were analyzed.Results The total amount of PAH and the average concentration of all carcinogens in the worksite were much higher than those in the background and blank samples (not detected).Naphthalene and phenanthrene were the two largest constitutions,with their average mass concentrations being 73.8 and 11 303.3 ng/m3,1 359.0 and 16 375.7 ng/m3 respectively in the phase of particulate and gas.The corresponding data of benzopyrene and pyrene were 7 604.9 and 7.7 ng/m3,3 912.2 and 4 466.6 ng/m3 respectively.It was clear that naphthalene and phenanthrene were mainly existed in gas phase,and benzopyrene mainly in particulate form in worksite.Meanwhile,the characteristic ratios of BaP/benzo(ghi)perylene,pyrene/BaP,and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene/benzo(ghi)perylene in coke oven were similar to those in combustion pollution types,and not in traffic pollution types.Conclusion Coke oven causes heavy PAH pollution.Naphthalene,phenanthrene and pyrene can be used as priority indicators of existing gas pollutants in worksite PAH monitoring.This is the key issue to renovate the production process to control and lower the pollution.