Characterization and Source Identification of PM bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) in Semi-Arid Region of India

Respirable particulate (PM10) and particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air were measured by collecting samples during winter, summer and post-monsoon season at rural environment in north-western part of India. The concentration of 8 selected PAHs, Acenaphthene (Ace), Fluorene (Flu), Phenanthrene (Phen), Anthracene (Anth), Fluoranthene (Flt), Pyrene (Pyr), Chrysene (Chr), Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) were quantified and characterized for different seasons. The ratio of average total PAHs concentration of winter to summerand winter to post-monsoon were assessed for rural environment was 5.7 and 6.4 for summer and pot-monsoon season respectively which is in agreement with the general trend of 1.5-10. The four membered ring PAHs were predominant and contributed to about 62% of total PAHs during winter season. A correlation study was performed among selected PAHs for source identification for all the three seasons. The results are in agreement with the traditional method of burning biomass, wood, coal and agricultural waste for cooking, a practice still followed in rural environmen