PM sub(2.5)-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an Area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Impacted by Emissions of Light-Duty Vehicles Fueled by Ethanol-Blended Gasoline

The aim of this study was to characterize the PM sub(2.5)-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and their diagnostic ratios in an area impacted by light-duty vehicles fueled by neat ethanol and ethanol-blended gasoline. Samples were collected using a high-volume sampler, extracted, and analyzed for all 16 EPA-priority PAHs using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) following the EPA 3550B Method. The most abundant PAHs were benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene. The total mean concentration was 3.80 plus or minus 2.88 ng m super(-3), and the contribution of carcinogenic species was 58 plus or minus 16 % of the total PAHs. The cumulative health hazard from the PAH mixture was determined, and the carcinogenic equivalents and mutagenic equivalents were 0.80 plus or minus 0.82 and 1.17 plus or minus 1.04 ng m super(-3), respectively. Diagnostic ratios and normalized ratios were calculated for the individual samples.