GAPS-megacities: A new global platform for investigating persistent organic pollutants and chemicals of emerging concern in urban air

A pilot study was initiated in 2018 under the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network named GAPS-Megacities. This study included 20 megacities/major cities across the globe with the goal of better understanding and comparing ambient air levels of persistent organic pollutants and other chemicals of emerging concern, to which humans residing in large cities are exposed. The first results from the initial period of sampling are reported for 19 cities for several classes of flame retardants (FRs) including organophosphate esters (OPEs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) including new flame retardants (NFRs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD). The two cities, New York (USA) and London (UK) stood out with ∼3.5 to 30 times higher total FR concentrations as compared to other major cities, with total concentrations of OPEs of 15,100 and 14,100 pg/m3, respectively. Atmospheric concentrations of OPEs significantly dominated the FR profile at all sites, with total concentrations in air that were 2-5 orders of magnitude higher compared to other targeted chemical classes. A moderately strong and significant correlation (r = 0.625, p < 0.001) was observed for Gross Domestic Product index of the cities with total OPEs levels. Although large differences in FR levels were observed between some cities, when averaged across the five United Nations regions, the FR classes were more evenly distributed and varied by less than a factor of five. Results for Toronto, which is a "reference city" for this study, agreed well with a more in-depth investigation of the level of FRs over different seasons and across eight sites representing different urban source sectors (e.g. traffic, industrial, residential and background). Future sampling periods under this project will investigate trace metals and other contaminant classes, linkages to toxicology, non-targeted analysis, and eventually temporal trends. The study provides a unique urban platform for evaluating global exposome.Fil: Saini, Amandeep. Environment and Climate Change; CanadáFil: Harner, Tom. Environment and Climate Change; CanadáFil: Chinnadhurai, Sita. Environment and Climate Change; CanadáFil: Schuster, Jasmin K.. Environment and Climate Change; CanadáFil: Yates, Alan. Environment and Climate Change; CanadáFil: Sweetman, Andrew. Lancaster Environment Centre; Reino UnidoFil: Aristizabal Zuluaga, Beatriz H.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Jiménez, Begoña. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Manzano, Carlos A.. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Gaga, Eftade O.. Eskisehir Technical University; TurquíaFil: Stevenson, Gavin. National Measurement Institute; AustraliaFil: Falandysz, Jerzy. Uniwersytet Gdanski; PoloniaFil: Ma, Jianmin. Peking University; ChinaFil: Miglioranza, Karina Silvia Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Kannan, Kurunthachalam. Nyu Grossman School Of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Tominaga, Maria. Sao Paulo State Environmental Company; BrasilFil: Jariyasopit, Narumol. No especifíca;Fil: Rojas, Nestor Y.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Amador-Muñoz, Omar. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Sinha, Ravindra. Patna University; IndiaFil: Alani, Rose. University of Lagos; NigeriaFil: Suresh, R.. No especifíca;Fil: Nishino, Takahiro. Tokyo Metropolitan Research Institute for Environmental Protection; JapónFil: Shoeib, Tamer. American University In Cairo; Egipt

Respiratory Health Symptoms among Students Exposed to Different Levels of Air Pollution in a Turkish City

In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of respiratory health symptoms among high school students attending schools at industrial, urban and rural areas in a Turkish city. Three schools located in different zones of the city having different pollution characteristics were chosen based on the pollutant distribution maps using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software. A cross-sectional survey was performed among 667 high school students in the schools. Outdoor and indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) concentrations were also measured by passive samplers in the same schools to investigate possible routes of exposure. Chronic pulmonary disease (OR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.11–1.99; p = 0.008), tightness in the chest (OR = 1.57; 95%CI: 1.22–2.02; p = 0.001), morning cough (OR = 1.81 95%CI: 1.19–2.75; p = 0.006) were higher among students in the industrial zone where nitrogen dioxide and ozone levels were also highest. There were no indoor sources of nitrogen dioxide and ozone exists in the schools except for the dining hall. As a conclusion, this study has noticed that air pollution and respiratory health problems among high school students are high in industrial zones and the use of passive samplers combined with GIS is an effective tool that may be used by public health researchers to identify pollutant zones and persons at risk

AMBIENT CONCENTRATIONS OF ELEMENTAL AND ORGANIC CARBON IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN ATMOSPHERES IN ESKİSEHİR: ESTIMATION OF THE SECONDARY ORGANIC CARBON

Ambient air particulate matter samples were collected from urban and suburban sites of Eskişehir in 2012. Samples were collected concurrently from both sites between 26th of February and 20th of December 2012. Mass concentrations of particulate matter (fine particles-PM2.5, coarse particles-PM2.5-10and total suspended particulate matter-TSP) were determined. TSP samples were analyzed by Thermal Optical Carbon Analyzer to determine elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC) and total carbon (TC) concentrations.  It was found that 4.9% of the TSP is composed of EC, and 13.6 % is OC in urban sampling point. EC and OC contributions in suburban sampling points were 2.7% and 9.6% respectively. OC/EC ratio was found to be  almost 1.5 times higher in suburban sampling site compared to urban sampling site. EC tracer method was used to estimate the contribution of Secondary Organic Carbon (SOC). The SOC percent of TSP was estimated as 7.1 % and 5.6 % for the urban and suburban locations respectively

Ankara'da çok amaçlı halkalı aromatik bileşiklerin (PAH'lar) çökelmesinin araştırılması

In this work, wet deposition samples were collected at Middle East Technical University campus, Ankara, between December 2000 and May 2002. Snow samples were collected from 50 grids in January, 2001 in Ankara to investigate dry deposition of PAHs. The collected samples were preconcentrated by Solid Phase Extraction and ultrasonic extraction tecniques. Extraction methodologies were improved prior to analysis of samples. Extracted samples were analyzed by Gas Chromotography-Mass Spectrometry for 14 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Selected Ion Monitoring mode was used throughout the analysis. Phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo (b+k) fluoranthene were found to be dominant PAHs in wet deposition samples. Seasonal variation of PAHs were observed having higher concentrations in winter period. Meterological parameters were also examined together with PAH concentrations. Contribution of PAHs coming from North East and South West direction were found to be dominant. Wet deposition fluxes were calculated and compared with other urban sites. Wet deposition fluxes are lower than industrial sites and comparable with urban sites in Europe. PAH ratios and factor analysis results demostrated combustion and traffic emissions are major sources of pollutants in the city. Dry deposition of PAHs were invesigated using snow as a natural collecting surface. Dry deposition fluxes calculated using snow surface are compareble with other similar sites. Dry deposition pollution maps of PAHs were drawn by MapInfo software and it was observed that the major pollution regions are the localities where low income families live and low quality coal used for heating purpose. Ratio calculations showed that the central parts of the city is mostly affected from traffic emissions while coal emissions are dominating at the other parts of the city. Factor analysis applied to data set and 6 factorsPh.D. - Doctoral Progra

Pah composition of snow samples in Ankara city

Surface snow samples were collected in different sites of Ankara in the winter of 2002 to investigate their concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). The collected samples were pre-concentrated by Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Extraction procedure and analysis parameters were optimized and a sampling apparatus for collection of surface snow samples was developed. Phenanthrene was found to be dominant at all sites examined. The major sources of PAHs were identified as domestic heating, industrial activities and vehicle emissions. Core sampling was also performed to investigate the vertical profile of PAHs

Sources and Wet Deposition Fluxes of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an Urban Site 1000 Meters High in Central Anatolia (Turkey)

Wet-only precipitation samples were collected using an Andersen wet only sampler (Andersen Samplers, Inc., Atlanta, GA, USA), between December 2000 and June 2002, in Ankara, Turkey. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were first pre-concentrated using solid phase (SPE) and ultrasonic extraction procedures. They were then analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Phenanthrene (Phe), fluoranthene (Flt), benzo (b+k) fluoranthene (B (b+k) F) and pyrene (Pyr) were the major components of Sigma 14PAH concentrations during both winter and summer seasons. Concentrations of PAHs did not show a statistically significant relation with meteorological parameters, such as mixing height, wind speed, and wind direction. However, they showed a strong linear relation with the ventilation coefficient (VC), signifying the importance of local sources on measured PAH concentrations. Concentrations of PAHs in winter season were higher than their corresponding concentrations in summer season due to seasonal variations in meteorology and emissions. Sources of PAHs in rainwater were apportioned using principal component analysis. Three factors with eigenvalues 1.0 were extracted. The two factors that explained the largest fraction of system variance represented coal and gas combustion whereas the third factor represented motor vehicles. Half of the rain events accounted for approximately 90% of the wet deposition fluxes of PAHs, demonstrating the highly episodic nature of wet PAH deposition