1 Scope
This Technical Specification specifies a measurement method for the determination
of the particle bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds benz[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), benzo[j]fluoranthene (BjF), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), dibenz[a,h]anthracene (DBahA), indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (INP) and benzo[ghi]perylene (BghiP) in ambient air, which can be used in the framework of Council Directive
2008/50/EC [10] and Directive 2004/107/EC [11]. This document specifies performance characteristics and performance criteria for
this measurement method. The performance characteristics of the measurement method
are based on a sampling period of 24 h.
This Technical Specification describes a measurement method which comprises sampling
of the selected PAH compounds as part of the PM10 particles, sample extraction and analysis by high performance liquid chromatography
(HPLC) with fluorescence detector (FLD) or by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric
detection (GC-MS). The method is applicable for the measurement of the PAH compounds
in the concentration range from approx. 0,04 ng/m3 to approximately 20 ng/m3 for BaA, BbF, BjF, BkF, BaP, INP and BghiP and 0,02 ng/m3 to approximately 2 ng/m3 for DBahA. Table 1 shows examples for concentrations of the compounds (annual mean values) for sampling
sites with different characteristics.
Table 1
—
Examples of annual mean values of PAH compounds in PM10 at sampling sites with different
characteristics (in ng/m3)
|
Compound
|
Industrial a
|
Urban background b
|
Traffic c
|
Rural background d
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BaA | 0,85 | 0,24 | 0,24 | 0,06 |
| BbF | 2,44 | 0,62 | 0,48 e | 0,16 e |
| BjF | 0,89 | 0,27 | ||
| BkF | 0,89 | 0,24 | 0,17 | 0,15 |
| BaP | 1,15 | 0,29 | 0,27 | 0,13 |
| BghiP | 1,31 f | 0,20 g | 0,34 | 0,09 |
| DBahA | 0,20 | 0,10 | 0,05 f | 0,07 h |
| INP | 1,60 | 0,43 | 0,23 | 0,08 |
The lower limit of the applicable range depends on the noise level of the detector
and the variability of the laboratory filter blank.