Nitrated monoaromatic hydrocarbons (NMAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment and an important part of atmospheric humic-like substances (HULIS) and brown carbon. They are ecotoxic and with underresearched toxic potential for humans. NMAHs were determined in size-segregated ambient particulate matter collected at two urban sites in central Europe, Ostrava and Kladno, Czech Republic. The average sums of 12 NMAHs (Σ12NMAH) measured in winter PM10 samples from Ostrava and Kladno were 102 and 93 ng m-3, respectively, and 8.8 ng m-3 in summer PM10 samples from Ostrava. The concentrations in winter corresponded to 6.3-7.3% and 2.6-3.1% of HULIS-C and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), respectively. Nitrocatechols represented 67-93%, 61-73% and 28-96% of NMAHs in PM10 samples collected in winter and summer at Ostrava and in winter at Kladno, respectively. The mass size distribution of the targeted substance classes peaked in the submicrometre size fractions (PM1), often in the PM0.5 size fraction especially in summer. The bioaccessible fraction of NMAHs was determined by leaching PM3 samples in two simulated lung fluids, Gamble's solution and artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF). More than half of NMAH mass is found bioaccessible, almost complete for nitrosalicylic acids. The bioaccessible fraction was generally higher when using ALF (mimics the chemical environment created by macrophage activity, pH 4.5) than Gamble's solution (pH 7.4). Bioaccessibility may be negligible for lipophilic substances (i.e. log KOW > 4.5).

• Klíčová slova
• Aerosol, Air pollution, Bioaccessibility, Nitroaromatic compounds,
• MeSH
• dusičnany MeSH
• dusíkaté sloučeniny MeSH
• katecholy MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• nitrofenoly MeSH
• pevné částice * analýza   MeSH
• toluen MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• dusičnany MeSH
• dusíkaté sloučeniny MeSH
• katecholy MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• nitrocatechol MeSH Prohlížeč
• nitrofenoly MeSH
• pevné částice * MeSH
• toluen MeSH

Among the nitrated and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs and OPAHs) are some of the most hazardous substances to public health, mainly because of their carcinogenicity and oxidative potential. Despite these concerns, the concentrations and fate of NPAHs and OPAHs in the atmospheric environment are largely unknown. Ambient air concentrations of 18 NPAHs, 5 quinones, and 5 other OPAHs were determined at two urban and one regional background sites in central Europe. At one of the urban sites, the total (gas and particulate) concentrations of Σ10OPAHs were 10.0 ± 9.2 ng/m3 in winter and 3.5 ± 1.6 ng/m3 in summer. The gradient to the regional background site exceeded 1 order of magnitude. Σ18NPAH concentrations were typically 1 order of magnitude lower than OPAHs. Among OPAHs, 9-fluorenone and (9,10)-anthraquinone were the most abundant species, accompanied by benzanthrone in winter. (9,10)-Anthraquinone represented two-thirds of quinones. We found that a large fraction of the target substance particulate mass was carried by submicrometer particles. The derived inhalation bioaccessibility in the PM10 size fraction is found to be ≈5% of the total ambient concentration of OPAHs and up to ≈2% for NPAHs. For 9-fluorenone and (9,10)-anthraquinone, up to 86 and 18%, respectively, were found at the rural site. Our results indicate that water solubility could function as a limiting factor for bioaccessibility of inhaled particulate NPAHs and OPAHs, without considerable effect of surfactant lipids and proteins in the lung lining fluid.

• MeSH
• dusičnany MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• pevné částice MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH
• Názvy látek
• dusičnany MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• pevné částice MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * MeSH

The EU air quality standards have been frequently exceeded in one of the European air pollution hot spots: Ostrava. The aim of this study was to perform an air quality comparison between an urban site (Radvanice), which has a nearby metallurgical complex, and a suburban site (Plesná) to estimate air pollution sources and determine their local and/or regional origins. Twenty-four hour PM1 and PM10 (particular matter) concentrations, detailed mass size distributions (MSDs) to distinguish the sources of the fine and coarse PM, and their chemical compositions were investigated in parallel at both sites during the winter of 2014. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was applied to the PM1 and PM10 chemical compositions to investigate their sources. During the measurement campaign, prevailing northeastern-southwestern (NE-SW) wind directions (WDs) were recorded. Higher average PM10 concentration was measured in Radvanice than in Plesná, whereas PM1 concentrations were similar at both sites. A source apportionment analysis revealed six and five sources for PM10 and PM1, respectively. In Radvanice, the amount of PM and the most chemical species were similar under SW and NE WD conditions. The dominant sources were industrial (43% for PM10 and 27% for PM1), which were caused by a large metallurgical complex located to the SW, and biomass burning (25% for PM10 and 36% for PM1). In Plesná, the concentrations of PM and all species significantly increased under NE WD conditions. Secondary inorganic aerosols were dominant, with the highest contributions deriving from the NE WD. Therefore, regional pollution transport from the industrial sector in Silesian Province (Poland) was evident. Biomass burning contributed 22% and 24% to PM10 and PM1, respectively. The air quality in Ostrava was influenced by local sources and regional pollution transport. The issue of poor air quality in this region is complex. Therefore, international cooperation from both states (the Czech Republic and Poland) is needed to achieve a reduction in air pollution levels.

• Klíčová slova
• Chemical size distribution, Industrial site, Inter-site comparison, PM1, PM10, Positive matrix factorization,
• MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   MeSH
• velikost částic MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• vítr MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Polsko MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Názvy látek
• pevné částice MeSH