Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential Area

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), an important class of hazardous airborne pollutants, are mutagenic and carcinogenic substances known to be released during the paving of asphalt. In this study, PAHs emitted from an asphalt mix plant were analyzed to investigate the effects on a suburban resi...

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Main Authors: Myoungki Song, Kwonho Lee, Sea-Ho Oh, Min-Suk Bae
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-07-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/13/4632
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author Myoungki Song
Kwonho Lee
Sea-Ho Oh
Min-Suk Bae
author_facet Myoungki Song
Kwonho Lee
Sea-Ho Oh
Min-Suk Bae
author_sort Myoungki Song
collection DOAJ
description Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), an important class of hazardous airborne pollutants, are mutagenic and carcinogenic substances known to be released during the paving of asphalt. In this study, PAHs emitted from an asphalt mix plant were analyzed to investigate the effects on a suburban residential area. Black carbon, organic carbon, elemental carbon, and PAHs in fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) were analyzed in a village near the asphalt mix plant. The results of wind direction analysis revealed that the village was meteorologically affected by emissions from the asphalt mix plant. PAHs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> ranged from 0.51 to 60.73 ng/m<sup>3</sup>, with an average of 11.54 ng/m<sup>3</sup>. Seasonal PAHs were highest in winter, followed in order by spring, autumn, and summer. The diagnostic ratios between PAHs indicate that the source of PAHs could be incomplete combustion of petrogenic origin. The maximum black carbon concentration in the intensive periods reaches up to 14.17 μg/m<sup>3</sup> during mix plant operation periods. Seasonal ∑BaP<sub>TEF</sub> values based on Toxic Equivalence Factor were: winter (2.284 ng/m<sup>3</sup>), spring (0.575 ng/m<sup>3</sup>), autumn (0.550 ng/m<sup>3</sup>), and summer (0.176 ng/m<sup>3</sup>). The values are about 6.5 times higher than the concentration in another background area and more than three times higher than those in the capital city, Seoul, in the Republic of Korea. In conclusion, primary emissions from the point source can be considered the major contributor to pollution in the residential area.
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spelling doaj.art-60b96e7ec8b7463aa76ee8c7e1376dfd2023-12-03T11:56:02ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-07-011013463210.3390/app10134632Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential AreaMyoungki Song0Kwonho Lee1Sea-Ho Oh2Min-Suk Bae3Department of Environmental Engineering, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, KoreaDepartment of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, KoreaInnovative Meteorological Research Department, National Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Jeju 63568, KoreaDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, KoreaPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), an important class of hazardous airborne pollutants, are mutagenic and carcinogenic substances known to be released during the paving of asphalt. In this study, PAHs emitted from an asphalt mix plant were analyzed to investigate the effects on a suburban residential area. Black carbon, organic carbon, elemental carbon, and PAHs in fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) were analyzed in a village near the asphalt mix plant. The results of wind direction analysis revealed that the village was meteorologically affected by emissions from the asphalt mix plant. PAHs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> ranged from 0.51 to 60.73 ng/m<sup>3</sup>, with an average of 11.54 ng/m<sup>3</sup>. Seasonal PAHs were highest in winter, followed in order by spring, autumn, and summer. The diagnostic ratios between PAHs indicate that the source of PAHs could be incomplete combustion of petrogenic origin. The maximum black carbon concentration in the intensive periods reaches up to 14.17 μg/m<sup>3</sup> during mix plant operation periods. Seasonal ∑BaP<sub>TEF</sub> values based on Toxic Equivalence Factor were: winter (2.284 ng/m<sup>3</sup>), spring (0.575 ng/m<sup>3</sup>), autumn (0.550 ng/m<sup>3</sup>), and summer (0.176 ng/m<sup>3</sup>). The values are about 6.5 times higher than the concentration in another background area and more than three times higher than those in the capital city, Seoul, in the Republic of Korea. In conclusion, primary emissions from the point source can be considered the major contributor to pollution in the residential area.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/13/4632PAHsasphalt mix plantorganic carbonelemental carbontoxic equivalence factor
spellingShingle Myoungki Song
Kwonho Lee
Sea-Ho Oh
Min-Suk Bae
Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential Area
Applied Sciences
PAHs
asphalt mix plant
organic carbon
elemental carbon
toxic equivalence factor
title Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential Area
title_full Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential Area
title_fullStr Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential Area
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential Area
title_short Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from an Asphalt Mix Plant in a Suburban Residential Area
title_sort impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pahs from an asphalt mix plant in a suburban residential area
topic PAHs
asphalt mix plant
organic carbon
elemental carbon
toxic equivalence factor
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/13/4632
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AT seahooh impactofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonspahsfromanasphaltmixplantinasuburbanresidentialarea
AT minsukbae impactofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonspahsfromanasphaltmixplantinasuburbanresidentialarea