Abstract
Sampling and analytical procedures were developed for determining the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in animal exposure chambers during studies on exposure to diesel exhaust, coal dust, or mixtures of these two pollutants. Fluoranthene (206440), pyrene (129000), benzo(a)anthracene (56553), chrysene (218019), benzo(e)pyrene (192972), benzo(k)fluoranthene (207089), and benzo(a)pyrene (50328) were used as representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A cyclone, a filter cassette, a Tenax absorption tube, a critical orifice, and a vacuum system made up the sampling train. High pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection was used for analysis. Coal dust samples only revealed a broad, rising background in the chromatogram with small peaks superimposed corresponding to fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo(a)anthracene. Diesel exhaust only samples showed many peaks on a flat baseline including those corresponding to fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and benzo(a)pyrene. Peaks corresponding to chrysene and benzo(e)pyrene were seldom observed above the detection limit. Diesel exhaust plus coal dust samples showed sums of the individual samples. No chrysene or benzo(e)pyrene was noted. In general, no polynuclear aromatics were noted in the clean air samples. The authors note that relatively minor changes in air/fuel ratio, lubricant, fuel, and load may have substantial effects on very minor components of the exhaust emission.
Source Name
Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, NIOSH, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45 pages, 28 references
