Monitoring of time variation and effect of some meteorological parameters in polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in Ioannina, Greece with the aid of HPLC-fluorescence analysis

This paper describes the monitoring of 16 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the suspended particulate matter in the area of Ioannina. A total of 244 samples were collected from five locations throughout the city. These samples were analyzed in order to acquire a complete picture of the PAH abundance and distribution above the city of Ioannina. The sampling sites covered the center of the city as well as the suburban territory. The monitoring lasted for one year starting in November 1996. Higher values of PAH were found at the sites surrounding the city center, while at the rest of the area the concentration of PAH was substantially lower. The effect of ambient temperature and humidity on PAH abundance and distribution was also evaluated. As a result it was revealed that higher concentrations of PAH are favored by low temperatures and high values of humidity. Regarding the seasonal variation of PAH it was found that their concentrations are elevated during the winter months where heating systems are operating. On a daily basis it appears that the highest abundances of PAH occur on Wednesdays while the lowest on Sundays. The mean yearly concentration values of benzo[a]pyrene varied between 0.32+/-0.02 and 2.63+/-0.08 ng m(-3) for the various sites. Compared with the reported values the PAH levels in the area of Ioannina can be characterized as medium to low. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Talanta