Emission and dispersion of PAHs from heavy traffic road

In order to clarify the characteristics of the emission and dispersion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from vehicle transportation activities, the atmospheric concentration of PAHs was measured at roadside of a heavy traffic road. The samplings were conducted in summer (July and August) and winter (November, December, and January). Atmospheric particulate matters (fine particle, 0.6similar to7 mum; coarse particl, over 7 mum) and deposited particulate matters were collected, and their PAH concentration was measured. From the vehicle traffic data and emission data, the emission load and dispersion profile were estimated. From the analysis, source partitioning of each particulate matter was quantified. For the atmospheric particulate matters, diesel and gasoline emissions were the main sources, while for deposited particulate matters, tire debris were the main source. The temporal trend in the PAHs concentration was strongly correlated with the traffic of heavy-duty vehicles, indicating the influence of the diesel emissions.