1
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Lin TC, Chiueh PT, Hsiao TC. Challenges in Observation of Ultrafine Particles: Addressing Estimation Miscalculations and the Necessity of Temporal Trends. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2025; 59:565-577. [PMID: 39670560 PMCID: PMC11741106 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c07460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2024] [Revised: 11/29/2024] [Accepted: 12/02/2024] [Indexed: 12/14/2024]
Abstract
Ultrafine particles (UFPs) pose a significant health risk, making comprehensive assessment essential. The influence of emission sources on particle concentrations is not only constrained by meteorological conditions but often intertwined with them, making it challenging to separate these effects. This study utilized valuable long-term particle number and size distribution (PNSD) data from 2018 to 2023 to develop a tree-based machine learning model enhanced with an interpretable component, incorporating temporal markers to characterize background or time series residuals. Our results demonstrated that, differing from PM2.5, which is significantly shaped by planetary boundary layer height, wind speed plays a crucial role in determining the particle number concentration (PNC), showing strong regional specificity. Furthermore, we systematically identified and analyzed anthropogenically influenced periodic trends. Notably, while Aitken mode observations are initially linked to traffic-related peaks, both Aitken and nucleation modes contribute to concentration peaks during rush hour periods on short-term impacts after deweather adjustment. Pollutant baseline concentrations are largely driven by human activities, with meteorological factors modulating their variability, and the secondary formation of UFPs is likely reflected in temporal residuals. This study provides a flexible framework for isolating meteorological effects, allowing more accurate assessment of anthropogenic impacts and targeted management strategies for UFP and PNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Chi Lin
- Graduate
Institute of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71 Chou-Shan Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Te Chiueh
- Graduate
Institute of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71 Chou-Shan Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Chih Hsiao
- Graduate
Institute of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71 Chou-Shan Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan
- Research
Center for Environmental Changes, Academia
Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
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2
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Rovira J, Savadkoohi M, Chen GI, Močnik G, Aas W, Alados-Arboledas L, Artiñano B, Aurela M, Backman J, Banerji S, Beddows D, Brem B, Chazeau B, Coen MC, Colombi C, Conil S, Costabile F, Coz E, de Brito JF, Eleftheriadis K, Favez O, Flentje H, Freney E, Gregorič A, Gysel-Beer M, Harrison R, Hueglin C, Hyvärinen A, Ivančič M, Kalogridis AC, Keernik H, Konstantinos G, Laj P, Liakakou E, Lin C, Listrani S, Luoma K, Maasikmets M, Manninen HE, Marchand N, Dos Santos SM, Mbengue S, Mihalopoulos N, Nicolae D, Niemi JV, Norman M, Ovadnevaite J, Petit JE, Platt S, Prévôt ASH, Pujadas M, Putaud JP, Riffault V, Rigler M, Rinaldi M, Schwarz J, Silvergren S, Teinemaa E, Teinilä K, Timonen H, Titos G, Tobler A, Vasilescu J, Vratolis S, Yttri KE, Yubero E, Zíková N, Alastuey A, Petäjä T, Querol X, Yus-Díez J, Pandolfi M. A European aerosol phenomenology - 9: Light absorption properties of carbonaceous aerosol particles across surface Europe. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2025; 195:109185. [PMID: 39673871 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2024] [Revised: 11/07/2024] [Accepted: 12/04/2024] [Indexed: 12/16/2024]
Abstract
Carbonaceous aerosols (CA), composed of black carbon (BC) and organic matter (OM), significantly impact the climate. Light absorption properties of CA, particularly of BC and brown carbon (BrC), are crucial due to their contribution to global and regional warming. We present the absorption properties of BC (bAbs,BC) and BrC (bAbs,BrC) inferred using Aethalometer data from 44 European sites covering different environments (traffic (TR), urban (UB), suburban (SUB), regional background (RB) and mountain (M)). Absorption coefficients showed a clear relationship with station setting decreasing as follows: TR > UB > SUB > RB > M, with exceptions. The contribution of bAbs,BrC to total absorption (bAbs), i.e. %AbsBrC, was lower at traffic sites (11-20 %), exceeding 30 % at some SUB and RB sites. Low AAE values were observed at TR sites, due to the dominance of internal combustion emissions, and at some remote RB/M sites, likely due to the lack of proximity to BrC sources, insufficient secondary processes generating BrC or the effect of photobleaching during transport. Higher bAbs and AAE were observed in Central/Eastern Europe compared to Western/Northern Europe, due to higher coal and biomass burning emissions in the east. Seasonal analysis showed increased bAbs, bAbs,BC, bAbs,BrC in winter, with stronger %AbsBrC, leading to higher AAE. Diel cycles of bAbs,BC peaked during morning and evening rush hours, whereas bAbs,BrC, %AbsBrC, AAE, and AAEBrC peaked at night when emissions from household activities accumulated. Decade-long trends analyses demonstrated a decrease in bAbs, due to reduction of BC emissions, while bAbs,BrC and AAE increased, suggesting a shift in CA composition, with a relative increase in BrC over BC. This study provides a unique dataset to assess the BrC effects on climate and confirms that BrC can contribute significantly to UV-VIS radiation presenting highly variable absorption properties in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Rovira
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Applied Physics-Meteorology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.
| | - Marjan Savadkoohi
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Mining, Industrial and ICT Engineering (EMIT), Manresa School of Engineering (EPSEM), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Manresa 08242, Spain
| | - Gang I Chen
- Environmental Research Group, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Griša Močnik
- Center for Atmospheric Research, University of Nova Gorica, Ajdovščina 5270, Slovenia; Haze Instruments d.o.o., Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia; Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | | | - Lucas Alados-Arboledas
- Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Minna Aurela
- Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00560 Helsinki, Finland; Aerosol Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014, Finland
| | - John Backman
- Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00560 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sujai Banerji
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - David Beddows
- Division of Environmental Health & Risk Management, School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Benjamin Brem
- PSI Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Chazeau
- PSI Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland; Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, LCE, Marseille, France
| | | | - Cristina Colombi
- Arpa Lombardia, Settore Monitoraggi Ambientali, Unità Operativa Qualità dell'Aria, Milano, Italy
| | - Sebastien Conil
- ANDRA DRD/GES Observatoire Pérenne de l'Environnement, 55290 Bure, France
| | - Francesca Costabile
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC), National Research Council (CNR), 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Esther Coz
- Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Joel F de Brito
- IMT Nord Europe, Institut Mines-Télécom, Univ. Lille, Centre for Energy and Environment, Lille, France
| | - Kostas Eleftheriadis
- ENRACT, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR Demokritos, 15310 Ag. Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Olivier Favez
- Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Harald Flentje
- German Meteorological Service (DWD), Observatory Hohenpeissenberg, Germany
| | - Evelyn Freney
- Laboratoire de Météorologie Physique, UMR6016, Université Clermont Auvergne-CNRS, Aubière, France
| | - Asta Gregorič
- Center for Atmospheric Research, University of Nova Gorica, Ajdovščina 5270, Slovenia; Aerosol d.o.o., Kamniška 39A, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Martin Gysel-Beer
- PSI Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Roy Harrison
- Division of Environmental Health & Risk Management, School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK; Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Christoph Hueglin
- Laboratory for Air Pollution and Environmental Technology, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - Antti Hyvärinen
- Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00560 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matic Ivančič
- Aerosol d.o.o., Kamniška 39A, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Athina-Cerise Kalogridis
- ENRACT, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR Demokritos, 15310 Ag. Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Hannes Keernik
- Estonian Environmental Research Centre, Air Quality Management Department, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Granakis Konstantinos
- ENRACT, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR Demokritos, 15310 Ag. Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Paolo Laj
- Aerosol Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014, Finland; Univ. Grenoble, CNRS, IRD, IGE, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Eleni Liakakou
- Institute for Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Chunshui Lin
- School of Natural Sciences, Physics, Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway H91 CF50, Ireland
| | - Stefano Listrani
- ARPA Lazio, Regional Environmental Protection Agency, Rome, Italy
| | - Krista Luoma
- Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00560 Helsinki, Finland; Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marek Maasikmets
- Estonian Environmental Research Centre, Air Quality Management Department, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Hanna E Manninen
- Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY), Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | - Saliou Mbengue
- Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Nikos Mihalopoulos
- Institute for Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Doina Nicolae
- National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Magurele, Romania
| | - Jarkko V Niemi
- Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michael Norman
- Environment and Health Administration, SLB-analysis, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jurgita Ovadnevaite
- School of Natural Sciences, Physics, Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway H91 CF50, Ireland
| | - Jean-Eudes Petit
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA/Orme des Merisiers, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - André S H Prévôt
- PSI Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Véronique Riffault
- IMT Nord Europe, Institut Mines-Télécom, Univ. Lille, Centre for Energy and Environment, Lille, France
| | - Martin Rigler
- Aerosol d.o.o., Kamniška 39A, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matteo Rinaldi
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC), National Research Council (CNR), 40129 Bologna, Italy
| | - Jaroslav Schwarz
- Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the CAS, Rozvojová 135/1, 16502 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Sanna Silvergren
- Environment and Health Administration, SLB-analysis, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erik Teinemaa
- Estonian Environmental Research Centre, Air Quality Management Department, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kimmo Teinilä
- Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00560 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hilkka Timonen
- Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00560 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gloria Titos
- Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Anna Tobler
- PSI Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland; Datalystica Ltd., Parkstrasse 1, 5234 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Jeni Vasilescu
- National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Magurele, Romania
| | - Stergios Vratolis
- ENRACT, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR Demokritos, 15310 Ag. Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Eduardo Yubero
- Atmospheric Pollution Laboratory (LCA), Department of Applied Physics, Miguel Hernández University, Elche 03202, Spain
| | - Naděžda Zíková
- Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the CAS, Rozvojová 135/1, 16502 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Andrés Alastuey
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tuukka Petäjä
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Xavier Querol
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Yus-Díez
- Center for Atmospheric Research, University of Nova Gorica, Ajdovščina 5270, Slovenia
| | - Marco Pandolfi
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
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3
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Li D, Wu D, Gui X, Liao S, Zhu M, Yu F, Zheng J. Exploring ultrafine particle emission characteristics from in-use light-duty diesel trucks in China using a portable measurement system. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 263:120234. [PMID: 39461696 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2024] [Revised: 10/15/2024] [Accepted: 10/23/2024] [Indexed: 10/29/2024]
Abstract
Diesel vehicle exhaust is one of the major contributors to ultrafine particles (UFPs) in urban areas in China. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about UFPs emission characteristics from current in-use diesel vehicles. This study has carried out an on-road test of 10 in-use Light-duty Diesel Trucks (LDDTs) with different emission control standards in China using a self-established portable measurement system based on the Electronic Low-pressure Impactor (ELPI) and characterized the ultrafine particle number (PN) concentration, particle size distribution and metal element contents. The results revealed a significant reduction of 93.37% in the average PN0.1 emission factor of LDDTs from China III to China VI. Notably, LDDTs compliant with the China VI vehicle emission control standard exhibited the lowest PN0.1 and PM0.1 emission factors, measuring 4.991 × 1014 #/km and 0.627 g/km, respectively. By taking into account emissions under real driving conditions, we found that the PN emission rates grow with the increase of the Vehicle Specific Power (VSP). The cold-start phase had higher PN emissions than the hot-start phase, with 8590, 1890, 477, and 22 times higher than those of the ambient air (1.18 × 105 #/cm3), respectively. The installation of Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) can decrease UFPs by more than 99.8%, while the PN emission factor during the DPF regeneration stage (1.85 × 1016 #/km) increased by 5 orders of magnitude that of the DPF normal works (7.51 × 1011 #/km). Metal element contents analysis shows that Fe, Ca, Al and Mg are the dominant elements in UFPs of LDDT exhaust gas, but the element of Ni is slightly increasing in a China VI, possibly due to the new automotive engine exhaust manifolds being made of Ni instead of cast iron for the purpose of having more high-temperature resistance. Our study demonstrates the importance of monitoring and routine maintenance of exhaust after-treatment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Li
- College of Environment and Climate, Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Dongyang Wu
- College of Environment and Climate, Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Xiaoliang Gui
- College of Environment and Climate, Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Songdi Liao
- College of Environment and Climate, Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Manni Zhu
- College of Environment and Climate, Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Fei Yu
- College of Environment and Climate, Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Junyu Zheng
- Sustainable Energy and Environmental Thrust, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
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4
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Garcia-Marlès M, Lara R, Reche C, Pérez N, Tobías A, Savadkoohi M, Beddows D, Salma I, Vörösmarty M, Weidinger T, Hueglin C, Mihalopoulos N, Grivas G, Kalkavouras P, Ondracek J, Zikova N, Niemi JV, Manninen HE, Green DC, Tremper AH, Norman M, Vratolis S, Diapouli E, Eleftheriadis K, Gómez-Moreno FJ, Alonso-Blanco E, Wiedensohler A, Weinhold K, Merkel M, Bastian S, Hoffmann B, Altug H, Petit JE, Acharja P, Favez O, Santos SMD, Putaud JP, Dinoi A, Contini D, Casans A, Casquero-Vera JA, Crumeyrolle S, Bourrianne E, Poppel MV, Dreesen FE, Harni S, Timonen H, Lampilahti J, Petäjä T, Pandolfi M, Hopke PK, Harrison RM, Alastuey A, Querol X. Source apportionment of ultrafine particles in urban Europe. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 194:109149. [PMID: 39566442 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 10/16/2024] [Accepted: 11/11/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024]
Abstract
There is a body of evidence that ultrafine particles (UFP, those with diameters ≤ 100 nm) might have significant impacts on health. Accordingly, identifying sources of UFP is essential to develop abatement policies. This study focuses on urban Europe, and aims at identifying sources and quantifying their contributions to particle number size distribution (PNSD) using receptor modelling (Positive Matrix Factorization, PMF), and evaluating long-term trends of these source contributions using the non-parametric Theil-Sen's method. Datasets evaluated include 14 urban background (UB), 5 traffic (TR), 4 suburban background (SUB), and 1 regional background (RB) sites, covering 18 European and 1 USA cities, over the period, when available, from 2009 to 2019. Ten factors were identified (4 road traffic factors, photonucleation, urban background, domestic heating, 2 regional factors and long-distance transport), with road traffic being the primary contributor at all UB and TR sites (56-95 %), and photonucleation being also significant in many cities. The trends analyses showed a notable decrease in traffic-related UFP ambient concentrations, with statistically significant decreasing trends for the total traffic-related factors of -5.40 and -2.15 % yr-1 for the TR and UB sites, respectively. This abatement is most probably due to the implementation of European emissions standards, particularly after the introduction of diesel particle filters (DPFs) in 2011. However, DPFs do not retain nucleated particles generated during the dilution of diesel exhaust semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Trends in photonucleation were more diverse, influenced by a reduction in the condensation sink potential facilitating new particle formation (NPF) or by a decrease in the emissions of UFP precursors. The decrease of primary PM emissions and precursors of UFP also contributed to the reduction of urban and regional background sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meritxell Garcia-Marlès
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Applied Physics-Meteorology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.
| | - Rosa Lara
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Reche
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Noemí Pérez
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aurelio Tobías
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marjan Savadkoohi
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Mining, Industrial and ICT Engineering (EMIT), Manresa School of Engineering (EPSEM), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Manresa, 08242, Spain
| | - David Beddows
- Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Imre Salma
- Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Vörösmarty
- Hevesy György Ph.D. School of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Weidinger
- Department of Meteorology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Christoph Hueglin
- Laboratory for Air Pollution and Environmental Technology, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - Nikos Mihalopoulos
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; Institute for Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 11810 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Grivas
- Institute for Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 11810 Athens, Greece
| | - Panayiotis Kalkavouras
- Institute for Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 11810 Athens, Greece; Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Jakub Ondracek
- Research Group of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Rozvojova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nadezda Zikova
- Research Group of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Rozvojova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jarkko V Niemi
- Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY), 00240 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hanna E Manninen
- Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY), 00240 Helsinki, Finland
| | - David C Green
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Environmental Research Group, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Anja H Tremper
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Environmental Research Group, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Norman
- Environment and Health Administration, SLB-analys, Box 8136, 104 20 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stergios Vratolis
- ENRACT, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR Demokritos, 15310 Ag. Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelia Diapouli
- ENRACT, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR Demokritos, 15310 Ag. Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Eleftheriadis
- ENRACT, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR Demokritos, 15310 Ag. Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | | | - Kay Weinhold
- Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maik Merkel
- Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Bastian
- Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG), Dresden, German
| | - Barbara Hoffmann
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hicran Altug
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jean-Eudes Petit
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA/Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Prodip Acharja
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA/Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Olivier Favez
- Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Parc Technologique Alata BP2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | | | | | - Adelaide Dinoi
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of National Research Council, ISAC-CNR, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniele Contini
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of National Research Council, ISAC-CNR, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Andrea Casans
- Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Suzanne Crumeyrolle
- University Lille, CNRS, UMR 8518 Laboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique (LOA), Lille, France
| | - Eric Bourrianne
- University Lille, CNRS, UMR 8518 Laboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique (LOA), Lille, France
| | - Martine Van Poppel
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Freja E Dreesen
- Flanders Environment Agency, Dokter De Moorstraat 24-26, 9300, Aalst, Belgium
| | - Sami Harni
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Atmospheric Composition Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hilkka Timonen
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Atmospheric Composition Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Janne Lampilahti
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuukka Petäjä
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marco Pandolfi
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philip K Hopke
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Roy M Harrison
- Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrés Alastuey
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Querol
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
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5
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Kecorius S, Madueño L, Lovric M, Racic N, Schwarz M, Cyrys J, Casquero-Vera JA, Alados-Arboledas L, Conil S, Sciare J, Ondracek J, Hallar AG, Gómez-Moreno FJ, Ellul R, Kristensson A, Sorribas M, Kalivitis N, Mihalopoulos N, Peters A, Gini M, Eleftheriadis K, Vratolis S, Jeongeun K, Birmili W, Bergmans B, Nikolova N, Dinoi A, Contini D, Marinoni A, Alastuey A, Petäjä T, Rodriguez S, Picard D, Brem B, Priestman M, Green DC, Beddows DCS, Harrison RM, O'Dowd C, Ceburnis D, Hyvärinen A, Henzing B, Crumeyrolle S, Putaud JP, Laj P, Weinhold K, Plauškaitė K, Byčenkienė S. Atmospheric new particle formation identifier using longitudinal global particle number size distribution data. Sci Data 2024; 11:1239. [PMID: 39550387 PMCID: PMC11569151 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-04079-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 10/18/2024] [Indexed: 11/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is a naturally occurring phenomenon, during which high concentrations of sub-10 nm particles are created through gas to particle conversion. The NPF is observed in multiple environments around the world. Although it has observable influence onto annual total and ultrafine particle number concentrations (PNC and UFP, respectively), only limited epidemiological studies have investigated whether these particles are associated with adverse health effects. One plausible reason for this limitation may be related to the absence of NPF identifiers available in UFP and PNC data sets. Until recently, the regional NPF events were usually identified manually from particle number size distribution contour plots. Identification of NPF across multi-annual and multiple station data sets remained a tedious task. In this work, we introduce a regional NPF identifier, created using an automated, machine learning based algorithm. The regional NPF event tag was created for 65 measurement sites globally, covering the period from 1996 to 2023. The discussed data set can be used in future studies related to regional NPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simonas Kecorius
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
- Environmental Science Center, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Leizel Madueño
- Experimental Aerosol and Cloud Microphysics, Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Nikolina Racic
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maximilian Schwarz
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Josef Cyrys
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | - Lucas Alados-Arboledas
- Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Sébastien Conil
- ANDRA - DISTEC-EES, Observatoire Pérenne de l'Environnement, Bure, France
| | - Jean Sciare
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Jakub Ondracek
- Department of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Gannet Hallar
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | | | - Raymond Ellul
- Department of Physics, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Adam Kristensson
- Division of Physics, Division of Combustion Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mar Sorribas
- El Arenosillo - Atmospheric Sounding Station, Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Branch, INTA, Mazagón, Huelva, Spain
| | - Nikolaos Kalivitis
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Mihalopoulos
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute for Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, I. Metaxa & Vas. Pavlou, Palea Penteli, Greece
| | - Annette Peters
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Epidemiology, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Gini
- Environmental Radioactivity & Aerosol Tech. for Atmospheric & Climate Impacts, INRaSTES, National Centre of Scientific Research "Demokritos", Paraskevi, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Eleftheriadis
- Environmental Radioactivity & Aerosol Tech. for Atmospheric & Climate Impacts, INRaSTES, National Centre of Scientific Research "Demokritos", Paraskevi, Greece
| | - Stergios Vratolis
- Environmental Radioactivity & Aerosol Tech. for Atmospheric & Climate Impacts, INRaSTES, National Centre of Scientific Research "Demokritos", Paraskevi, Greece
| | - Kim Jeongeun
- Forecast Research Division, National Institute of Meterological Sciences (NIMS), Seogwipo, Korea
| | | | | | - Nina Nikolova
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Adelaide Dinoi
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC-CNR), Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniele Contini
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC-CNR), Lecce, Italy
| | - Angela Marinoni
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, ISAC, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andres Alastuey
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tuukka Petäjä
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sergio Rodriguez
- Izaña Atmospheric Research Centre, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain Group of Atmosphere, Aerosols and Climate-AAC, IPNA CSIC, Tenerife, Spain
| | - David Picard
- Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont Auvergne (LPCA), UMR6533, CNRS-UCA, Aubière, France
| | - Benjamin Brem
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Max Priestman
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Environmental Research Group, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David C Green
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Environmental Research Group, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David C S Beddows
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom
| | - Roy M Harrison
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Colin O'Dowd
- School of Natural Sciences, Ryan Institute's Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Darius Ceburnis
- School of Natural Sciences, Ryan Institute's Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Antti Hyvärinen
- SIOS Knowledge Centre, Svalbard science centre Longyearbyen, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Bas Henzing
- The Netherlands Institute of Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Crumeyrolle
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8518 Laboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique (LOA), Lille, France
| | | | - Paolo Laj
- Univ. Grenoble, CNRS, IRD, IGE, Grenoble, France
| | - Kay Weinhold
- Experimental Aerosol and Cloud Microphysics, Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
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Tsiodra I, Grivas G, Bougiatioti A, Tavernaraki K, Parinos C, Paraskevopoulou D, Papoutsidaki K, Tsagkaraki M, Kozonaki FA, Oikonomou K, Nenes A, Mihalopoulos N. Source apportionment of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs), and their associated long-term health risks in a major European city. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175416. [PMID: 39142411 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Many studies have drawn attention to the associations of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OPAHs) with harmful health effects, advocating for their systematic monitoring alongside simple PAHs to better understand the aerosol carcinogenic potential in urban areas. To address this need, this study conducted an extensive PM2.5 sampling campaign in Athens, Greece, at the Thissio Supersite of the National Observatory of Athens, from December 2018 to July 2021, aiming to characterize the levels and variability of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), perform source apportionment, and assess health risk. Cumulative OPAH concentrations (Σ-OPAHs) were in the same range as Σ-PAHs (annual average 4.2 and 5.6 ng m-3, respectively). They exhibited a common seasonal profile with enhanced levels during the heating seasons, primarily attributed to residential wood burning (RWB). The episodic impact of biomass burning was also observed during a peri-urban wildfire event in May 2021, when PAH and OPAH concentrations increased by a factor of three compared to the monthly average. The study period also included the winter 2020-2021 COVID-19 lockdown, during which PAH and OPAH levels decreased by >50 % compared to past winters. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) source apportionment, based on a carbonaceous aerosol speciation dataset, identified PAC sources related to RWB, local traffic (gasoline vehicles) and urban traffic (including diesel emissions), as well as an impact of regional organic aerosol. Despite its seasonal character, RWB accounted for nearly half of Σ-PAH and over two-thirds of Σ-OPAH concentrations. Using the estimated source profiles and contributions, the source-specific carcinogenic potency of the studied PACs was calculated, revealing that almost 50 % was related to RWB. These findings underscore the urgent need to regulate domestic biomass burning at a European level, which can provide concrete benefits for improving urban air quality, towards the new stricter EU standards, and reducing long-term health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irini Tsiodra
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece; Center for the Study of Air Quality and Climate Change, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Patras, GR-26504, Greece
| | - Georgios Grivas
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Bougiatioti
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece
| | - Kalliopi Tavernaraki
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece
| | - Constantine Parinos
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, 190 13 Anavyssos, Attiki, Greece
| | - Despina Paraskevopoulou
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece
| | - Kyriaki Papoutsidaki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece
| | - Maria Tsagkaraki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece
| | - Faidra-Aikaterini Kozonaki
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece
| | | | - Athanasios Nenes
- Center for the Study of Air Quality and Climate Change, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Patras, GR-26504, Greece; Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland.
| | - Nikolaos Mihalopoulos
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece.
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7
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Qi Q, Yu F, Nair AA, Lau SSS, Luo G, Mithu I, Zhang W, Li S, Lin S. Hidden danger: The long-term effect of ultrafine particles on mortality and its sociodemographic disparities in New York State. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134317. [PMID: 38636229 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Although previous studies have shown increased health risks of particulate matters, few have evaluated the long-term health impacts of ultrafine particles (UFPs or PM0.1, ≤ 0.1 µm in diameter). This study assessed the association between long-term exposure to UFPs and mortality in New York State (NYS), including total non-accidental and cause-specific mortalities, sociodemographic disparities and seasonal trends. Collecting data from a comprehensive chemical transport model and NYS Vital Records, we used the interquartile range (IQR) and high-level UFPs (≥75 % percentile) as indicators to link with mortalities. Our modified difference-in-difference model controlled for other pollutants, meteorological factors, spatial and temporal confounders. The findings indicate that long-term UFPs exposure significantly increases the risk of non-accidental mortality (RR=1.10, 95 % CI: 1.05, 1.17), cardiovascular mortality (RR=1.11, 95 % CI: 1.05, 1.18) particularly for cerebrovascular (RR=1.21, 95 % CI: 1.10, 1.35) and pulmonary heart diseases (RR=1.33, 95 % CI: 1.13, 1.57), and respiratory mortality (borderline significance, RR=1.09, 95 % CI: 1.00, 1.18). Hispanics (RR=1.13, 95 % CI: 1.00, 1.29) and non-Hispanic Blacks (RR=1.40, 95 % CI: 1.16, 1.68) experienced significantly higher mortality risk after exposure to UFPs, compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Children under five, older adults, non-NYC residents, and winter seasons are more susceptible to UFPs' effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Qi
- Department of Economics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Fangqun Yu
- Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Arshad A Nair
- Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Sam S S Lau
- Research Centre for Environment and Human Health & College of International Education, School of Continuing Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gan Luo
- Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Imran Mithu
- Community, Environment and Policy Division, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Wangjian Zhang
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sean Li
- Rausser College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Shao Lin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
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8
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Tsiodra I, Tavernaraki K, Grivas G, Parinos C, Papoutsidaki K, Paraskevopoulou D, Liakakou E, Gogou A, Bougiatioti A, Gerasopoulos E, Kanakidou M, Mihalopoulos N. Spatiotemporal Gradients of PAH Concentrations in Greek Cities and Associated Exposure Impacts. TOXICS 2024; 12:293. [PMID: 38668516 PMCID: PMC11055022 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12040293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
To study the spatiotemporal variability of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and assess their carcinogenic potential in six contrasting urban environments in Greece, a total of 305 filter samples were collected and analyzed. Sampling sites included a variety of urban background, traffic (Athens, Ioannina and Heraklion), rural (Xanthi) and near-port locations (Piraeus and Volos). When considering the sum of 16 U.S. EPA priority PAHs, as well as that of the six EU-proposed members, average concentrations observed across locations during summer varied moderately (0.4-2.2 ng m-3) and independently of the population of each site, with the highest values observed in the areas of Piraeus and Volos that are affected by port and industrial activities. Winter levels were significantly higher and more spatially variable compared to summer, with the seasonal enhancement ranging from 7 times in Piraeus to 98 times in Ioannina, indicating the large impact of PAH emissions from residential wood burning. Regarding benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), an IARC Group 1 carcinogen and the only EU-regulated PAH, the winter/summer ratios were 24-33 in Athens, Volos, Heraklion and Xanthi; 60 in Piraeus; and 480 in Ioannina, which is afflicted by severe wood-burning pollution events. An excellent correlation was observed between organic carbon (OC) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) during the cold period at all urban sites (r2 > 0.8) with stable BaP/OC slopes (0.09-0.14 × 10-3), highlighting the potential use of OC as a proxy for the estimation of BaP in winter conditions. The identified spatiotemporal contrasts, which were explored for the first time for PAHs at such a scale in the Eastern Mediterranean, provide important insights into sources and controlling atmospheric conditions and reveal large deviations in exposure risks among cities that raise the issue of environmental injustice on a national level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irini Tsiodra
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Kalliopi Tavernaraki
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (K.P.); (M.K.)
| | - Georgios Grivas
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Constantine Parinos
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 19013 Anavyssos, Greece; (C.P.); (A.G.)
| | - Kyriaki Papoutsidaki
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (K.P.); (M.K.)
| | - Despina Paraskevopoulou
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (K.P.); (M.K.)
| | - Eleni Liakakou
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Alexandra Gogou
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 19013 Anavyssos, Greece; (C.P.); (A.G.)
| | - Aikaterini Bougiatioti
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Evangelos Gerasopoulos
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Maria Kanakidou
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (K.P.); (M.K.)
- Center for Studies of Air Quality and Climate Change, Institute for Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, 26504 Patras, Greece
- Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Mihalopoulos
- Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; (I.T.); (K.T.); (G.G.); (D.P.); (E.L.); (E.G.); (N.M.)
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (K.P.); (M.K.)
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