This study investigates the efficacy of supramolecular solvent (SUPRAS) in extracting a diverse spectrum of organic contaminants from indoor dust. Initially, seven distinct SUPRAS were assessed across nine categories of contaminants to identify the most effective one. A SUPRAS comprising Milli-Q water, tetrahydrofuran, and hexanol in a 70:20:10 ratio, respectively, demonstrated the best extraction performance and was employed for testing a wider array of organic contaminants. Furthermore, we applied the selected SUPRAS for the extraction of organic compounds from the NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2585. In parallel, we performed the extraction of NIST SRM 2585 with conventional extraction methods using hexane:acetone (1:1) for non-polar contaminants and methanol (100%) extraction for polar contaminants. Analysis from two independent laboratories (in Norway and the Czech Republic) demonstrated the viability of SUPRAS for the simultaneous extraction of twelve groups of organic contaminants with a broad range of physico-chemical properties including plastic additives, pesticides, and combustion by-products. However, caution is advised when employing SUPRAS for highly polar contaminants like current-use pesticides or volatile substances like naphthalene.
- Keywords
- Indoor environments, PFAS, Pesticides, Plastic additives, SUPRAS,
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Redox-active substances in fine particulate matter (PM) contribute to inhalation health risks through their potential to generate reactive oxygen species in epithelial lung lining fluid (ELF). The ELF's air-liquid interface (ALI) can play an important role in the phase transfer and multi-phase reactions of redox-active PM constituents. We investigated the influence of interfacial processes and properties by scrubbing of coated nano-particles with simulated ELF in a nebulizing mist chamber. Weakly water-soluble redox-active organics abundant in ambient fine PM were reproducibly loaded into ELF via ALI mixing. The resulting oxidative potential (OP) of selected quinones and other PAH derivatives were found to exceed the OP resulting from bulk mixing of the same amounts of redox-active substances and ELF. Our results indicate that the OP of PM components depends not only on the PM substance properties but also on the ELF interface properties and uptake mechanisms. OP measurements based on bulk mixing of phases may not represent the effective OP in the human lung.
- Keywords
- Acellular assay, Aerosol, Alveolar surfactant, Inhalation, Toxic quinones,
- MeSH
- Air Pollutants * analysis MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Oxidation-Reduction MeSH
- Oxidative Stress MeSH
- Particulate Matter * analysis MeSH
- Reactive Oxygen Species MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Air Pollutants * MeSH
- Particulate Matter * MeSH
- Reactive Oxygen Species MeSH
Long-term exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their nitrated (NPAHs) and oxygenated (OPAHs) derivatives can cause adverse health effects due to their carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and oxidative potential. The distribution of PAH derivatives in the terrestrial environment has hardly been studied, although several PAH derivatives are ubiquitous in air and long-lived in soil and water. We report the multi-annual variations in the concentrations of NPAHs, OPAHs and PAHs in soils sampled at a semi-urban (Mokrá, Czech Republic) and a regional background site (Košetice, Czech Republic) in central Europe. The concentrations of the Σ18NPAHs and the Σ11+2OPAHs and O-heterocycles were 0.31 ± 0.23 ng g-1 and 4.03 ± 3.03 ng g-1, respectively, in Košetice, while slightly higher concentrations of 0.54 ± 0.45 ng g-1 and 5.91 ± 0.45 ng g-1, respectively, were found in soil from Mokrá. Among the 5 NPAHs found in the soils, 1-nitropyrene and less so 6-nitrobenzo(a)pyrene were most abundant. The OPAHs were more evenly distributed. The ratios of the PAH derivatives to their parent PAHs in Košetice indicate that they were long-range transported to the background site. Our results show that several NPAHs and OPAHs are abundant in soil and that gas-particle partitioning is a major factor influencing the concentration of several semi-volatile NPAHs and OPAHs in the soils. Complete understanding of the long-term variations of NPAH and OPAH concentrations in soil is limited by the lack of kinetic data describing their formation and degradation.
- Keywords
- Background, Nitrated PAHs, Polycyclic aromatic compounds, soil pollution, Soil exposure, Temporal variation,
- MeSH
- Nitrates MeSH
- Air Pollutants * analysis MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring methods MeSH
- Grassland MeSH
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * analysis MeSH
- Soil MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Nitrates MeSH
- Air Pollutants * MeSH
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * MeSH
- Soil MeSH
Derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as nitrated- and oxygenated-PAHs (NPAHs and OPAHs) could be even more toxic and harmful for the environment and humans than PAHs. We assessed the spatial and seasonal variations of NPAHs and OPAHs atmospheric levels, their cancer risks and their gas-to-particle partitioning. To this end, about 250 samples of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 50 gaseous samples were collected in 2017 in central Europe in the cities of Brno and Ljubljana (two traffic and two urban background sites) as well as one rural site. The average particulate concentrations were ranging from below limit of quantification to 593 pg m-3 for Σ9NPAHs and from 1.64 to 4330 pg m-3 for Σ11OPAHs, with significantly higher concentrations in winter compared to summer. In winter, the particulate levels of NPAHs and OPAHs were higher at the traffic site compared to the urban background site in Brno while the opposite was found in Ljubljana. NPAHs and OPAHs particulate levels were influenced by the meteorological parameters and co-varied with several air pollutants. The significance of secondary formation on the occurrence of some NPAHs and OPAHs is indicated. In winter, 27-47% of samples collected at all sites were above the acceptable lifetime carcinogenic risk. The gas-particle partitioning of NPAHs and OPAHs was influenced by their physico-chemical properties, the season and the site-specific aerosol composition. Three NPAHs and five OPAHs had higher particulate mass fractions at the traffic site, suggesting they could be primarily emitted as particles from vehicle traffic and subsequently partitioning to the gas phase along air transport. This study underlines the importance of inclusion of the gas phase in addition to the particulate phase when assessing the atmospheric fate of polycyclic aromatic compounds and also when assessing the related health risk.
- Keywords
- Atmosphere, Cancer risk, Fine particles, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Spatial variations,
- MeSH
- Air Pollutants * analysis MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring MeSH
- Neoplasms * epidemiology MeSH
- Particulate Matter analysis MeSH
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * analysis MeSH
- Seasons MeSH
- Cities MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Cities MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Air Pollutants * MeSH
- Particulate Matter MeSH
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * MeSH
