A passive air sampler for characterizing the vertical concentration profile of gaseous phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in near soil surface air

Yuzhong Zhang; Shuxing Deng; Yanan Liu; Guofeng Shen; Xiqing Li; Jun Cao; Xilong Wang; Brian Reid; Shu Tao

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.002

A passive air sampler for characterizing the vertical concentration profile of gaseous phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in near soil surface air

Yuzhong Zhang, Shuxing Deng, Yanan Liu, Guofeng Shen, Xiqing Li, Jun Cao, Xilong Wang, Brian Reid, Shu Tao

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Air–soil exchange is an important process governing the fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A novel passive air sampler was designed and tested for measuring the vertical concentration profile of 4 low molecular weight PAHs in gaseous phase (PAHLMW4) in near soil surface air. Air at various heights from 5 to 520 mm above the ground was sampled by polyurethane foam disks held in down-faced cartridges. The samplers were tested at three sites: A: an extremely contaminated site, B: a site near A, and C: a background site on a university campus. Vertical concentration gradients were revealed for PAHLMW4 within a thin layer close to soil surface at the three sites. PAH concentrations either decreased (Site A) or increased (Sites B and C) with height, suggesting either deposition to or evaporation from soils. The sampler is a useful tool for investigating air–soil exchange of gaseous phase semi-volatile organic chemicals.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	694-699
Number of pages	6
Journal	Environmental Pollution
Volume	159
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.002
Publication status	Published - 2011

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10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.002

Cite this

@article{28a2738513304492b75e4c53fe5ec482,

title = "A passive air sampler for characterizing the vertical concentration profile of gaseous phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in near soil surface air",

abstract = "Air–soil exchange is an important process governing the fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A novel passive air sampler was designed and tested for measuring the vertical concentration profile of 4 low molecular weight PAHs in gaseous phase (PAHLMW4) in near soil surface air. Air at various heights from 5 to 520 mm above the ground was sampled by polyurethane foam disks held in down-faced cartridges. The samplers were tested at three sites: A: an extremely contaminated site, B: a site near A, and C: a background site on a university campus. Vertical concentration gradients were revealed for PAHLMW4 within a thin layer close to soil surface at the three sites. PAH concentrations either decreased (Site A) or increased (Sites B and C) with height, suggesting either deposition to or evaporation from soils. The sampler is a useful tool for investigating air–soil exchange of gaseous phase semi-volatile organic chemicals.",

author = "Yuzhong Zhang and Shuxing Deng and Yanan Liu and Guofeng Shen and Xiqing Li and Jun Cao and Xilong Wang and Brian Reid and Shu Tao",

year = "2011",

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language = "English",

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journal = "Environmental Pollution",

issn = "0269-7491",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A passive air sampler for characterizing the vertical concentration profile of gaseous phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in near soil surface air

AU - Zhang, Yuzhong

AU - Deng, Shuxing

AU - Liu, Yanan

AU - Shen, Guofeng

AU - Li, Xiqing

AU - Cao, Jun

AU - Wang, Xilong

AU - Reid, Brian

AU - Tao, Shu

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Air–soil exchange is an important process governing the fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A novel passive air sampler was designed and tested for measuring the vertical concentration profile of 4 low molecular weight PAHs in gaseous phase (PAHLMW4) in near soil surface air. Air at various heights from 5 to 520 mm above the ground was sampled by polyurethane foam disks held in down-faced cartridges. The samplers were tested at three sites: A: an extremely contaminated site, B: a site near A, and C: a background site on a university campus. Vertical concentration gradients were revealed for PAHLMW4 within a thin layer close to soil surface at the three sites. PAH concentrations either decreased (Site A) or increased (Sites B and C) with height, suggesting either deposition to or evaporation from soils. The sampler is a useful tool for investigating air–soil exchange of gaseous phase semi-volatile organic chemicals.

AB - Air–soil exchange is an important process governing the fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A novel passive air sampler was designed and tested for measuring the vertical concentration profile of 4 low molecular weight PAHs in gaseous phase (PAHLMW4) in near soil surface air. Air at various heights from 5 to 520 mm above the ground was sampled by polyurethane foam disks held in down-faced cartridges. The samplers were tested at three sites: A: an extremely contaminated site, B: a site near A, and C: a background site on a university campus. Vertical concentration gradients were revealed for PAHLMW4 within a thin layer close to soil surface at the three sites. PAH concentrations either decreased (Site A) or increased (Sites B and C) with height, suggesting either deposition to or evaporation from soils. The sampler is a useful tool for investigating air–soil exchange of gaseous phase semi-volatile organic chemicals.

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.002

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.002

M3 - Article

VL - 159

SP - 694

EP - 699

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

SN - 0269-7491

IS - 3

ER -